In 2003 the aforementioned 1992 recordings were unearthed and released under the title Unfinished Business. Additionally, the band is officially reunited, with a new lineup as shown below, and a new album, Barely Human, released in 2004.
With 4/5 of the classic MELIAH RAGE lineup in tow, the group set out to release The Deep and Dreamless Sleep through Screaming Ferret Wreckords in 2006. This darker set of eight tracks offered more tempo variation and textural experimentation than much of the band's prior work, allowing the disc to remain a unique standout amidst their continually-expanding discography. The outfit's second U.S. tour with Metal Church would follow in support of the album, and MELIAH RAGE has been going strong ever since.
Over a decade later, Divebomb Records is excited to once more join forces with MELIAH RAGE for this revamped reissue of The Deep and Dreamless Sleep. Completely remixed and remastered by Peter Rutcho for vastly improved sound quality, this edition breathes new life into one of the band's most underrated albums. The packaging will also include full lyrics—transcribed for the first time ever—a retrospective interview with Nichols and Souza, as well as added commentary from Rutcho. For the fans, by the fans!
In the mid-2000s, legendary Boston power thrashers MELIAH RAGE found themselves prepped to create a brand new album with all five original members in tow. Drummer Stuart Dowie had returned for 2006's The Deep and Dreamless Sleep, and even fan-favorite vocalist Mike Munro had agreed to find time amidst his family commitments to join up for one more album. Bassist Jesse Johnson ultimately decided to step aside, however, at which point the band brought in Darren Lourie—formerly of Triphammer/Every Second—to complete the lineup.
Realizing in retrospect that The Deep and Dreamless Sleep may have been overly mid-paced and one-sided, chief songwriter Anthony Nichols set out to write the group's most guitar-centric album to date—slightly thrashier, and with an occasionally increased emphasis on dual guitar harmonies. Produced by WARGASM's Rich Spillberg and featuring a guest vocal appearance from then-METAL CHURCH frontman Ronny Munroe on "Last Rites," the result was Masquerade: a nearly hour-long return to form for MELIAH RAGE.
Unfortunately, Screaming Ferret Wreckords was on the decline, so the album was merely released as a CD-R and without a sufficient promotional presence. The band only performed a small handful of shows with Munro back on the mic—among them opening for ANVIL at the House of Blues in Boston—but this brief reunion still satisfied longtime fans, both live and on record.
Now, nearly a decade later, Divebomb Records is proud to partner with MELIAH RAGE for this reissue of Masquerade: finally on proper CD for the first time ever! Newly remastered by Peter Rutcho, this edition also features complete lyrics, as well as a retrospective interview with guitarist Anthony Nichols. For the fans, by the fans!
Stranger
Meliah Rage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying really hard to understand
Something I don't think anybody can
Namely man's inhumanity to man
Here I am with a bottle in my hand
Trying to escape from my fellow man
Trying to remember what it means to be a man
Nobody here can tell me
I fight a losing fight
Nobody can convince me
I don't know wrong from right
You call each other brothers
And when you turn your backs
You try to kill each other
Mad dogs in a pack
Stranger
All my life I've been a stranger
Stranger
And life keeps getting stranger
Stranger
Here I am with a weapon in my hand
Trying to defend myself from my fellow man
Hanging on to sanity by a slender strand
Violence was never any part of the plan
Common sense doesn't seem to apply
Good advice cannot help me to get by
Over time all the rules they have been changed
Overnight things have really gotten strange
Nobody here can tell me
I fight a losing fight
Nobody can convince me
I don't know wrong from right
You call each other brothers
And when you turn your backs
You try to kill each other
Mad dogs in a pack
Stranger...
The lyrics to Meliah Rage's song "Stranger" are a reflection on society and the turmoil that exists within it. The song starts with the singer holding a Bible and attempting to understand the concept of man's inhumanity to man. He then turns to alcohol as a way to escape from reality and tries to remember what it means to be a man. The singer feels out of place and like a stranger in the world around him, unable to comprehend the violence and chaos that exists.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly frustrated with the state of society. He feels like he's fighting a losing battle against a world that has become cold and unforgiving. The lyrics point out the irony of people calling each other brothers but then turning around and trying to kill each other. The situation is described as being akin to mad dogs in a pack, with common sense and morality being thrown out the window.
Ultimately, the message of the song is one of hopelessness and despair. The singer feels like a stranger in a world that has become twisted and backwards. The violence and inhumanity that exist within society have left him feeling like there is no hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am with a bible in my hand
I am holding a bible, trying to make sense of the world
Trying really hard to understand
I am making an effort to comprehend the world and its troubles
Something I don't think anybody can
But I believe that no one can understand it completely
Namely man's inhumanity to man
Specifically, the cruel treatment that humans inflict upon each other
Here I am with a bottle in my hand
Now I am holding a bottle, trying to escape from reality
Trying to escape from my fellow man
Hoping to avoid or forget about the problems and violence caused by humans
Trying to remember what it means to be a man
Trying to recall what it truly means to be human and not give in to animalistic tendencies
Feeling like a stranger in a strange land
Feeling out of place in a world full of chaos and cruelty
Nobody here can tell me
No one has the answers
I fight a losing fight
I am struggling with no hope of winning
Nobody can convince me
No one can change my beliefs or perspective
I don't know wrong from right
I am struggling with what is morally right or wrong
You call each other brothers
People claim to have a familial bond with each other
And when you turn your backs
But they will betray each other when not looking
You try to kill each other
They engage in violent behavior towards each other
Mad dogs in a pack
They behave like wild animals with no sense of reason or morality
Stranger
All my life I've felt out of place and disconnected from the world
And life keeps getting stranger
As time passes, the world becomes even more chaotic and difficult to comprehend
Here I am with a weapon in my hand
Now I am carrying a weapon to defend myself from others
Trying to defend myself from my fellow man
I am trying to protect myself from the violence and cruelty of others
Hanging on to sanity by a slender strand
I am barely holding onto my own sanity amidst all the chaos
Violence was never any part of the plan
Violence was never meant to be part of human nature
Common sense doesn't seem to apply
Logic and reasoning do not seem to apply in this chaotic world
Good advice cannot help me to get by
Even good advice cannot help me navigate through all the troubles and chaos
Over time all the rules they have been changed
Over the years, the rules and norms of society have changed drastically
Overnight things have really gotten strange
Suddenly, things have become even stranger and more unpredictable
Stranger
Once again, I find myself feeling like an outsider in this world
Contributed by Evan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.