Discography:
2007 - Memphis May Fire (EP)
2009 - Sleepwalking
2010 - Between the Lies (EP)
2011 - The Hollow
2012 - Challenger
2014 - Unconditional
2016 - This Light I Hold
2018 - Broken
In early 2007, the band recorded and self-released an EP, and began creating a local following. Shortly thereafter, Memphis May Fire caught the attention of Josh Grabelle, the president of Trustkill Records. In September 2007 the band had officially signed to Trustkill, and their self-titled EP (Memphis May Fire)was reissued through the label in December 2007.
Memphis May Fire hoped to release their debut album by summer 2008, however, during the recording sessions for the album, lead singer Chase Ryan decided to leave the band. Chase explained that he felt that his priorities should be with his newborn child and not a band. Upon announcing his resignation, bass player Austin Radford also decided to part ways with the band shortly thereafter. He would be replaced by Cory Elder. Open auditions were held shortly after Chase's departure, and he was eventually replaced by a new vocalist, Matty Mullins. By this time, Memphis May Fire had already recorded their instruments for the new album with producer Casey Bates and only needed Mullins to contribute his vocals.
Their debut full-length studio album, Sleepwalking, was released on July 21, 2009, through Trustkill Records. Memphis May Fire has described the album as "a new breed of rock n' roll" and musically it has "more aggressive guitar work and noticeably more melodic, but still retains that southern swagger." Their song "Ghost in the Mirror" was used on the soundtrack for the movie Saw VI.
The official music video for "Ghost in the Mirror" was released on February 2nd, 2010 through the Trustkill YouTube page.
Memphis May Fire released a second EP entitled Between the Lies on November 2, 2010, through Bullet Tooth Records with more energy and a different style than their previous releases. On December 9, 2010 the band post in their Facebook that the song "Action/Adventure" will be featured in the video game Rock Band 3. In 2010, Matty Mullins was featured in the song "That's What She Said", from Kid Liberty's debut album Fight with Your Fists.
On January 17, 2011, Rise Records announced Memphis May Fire signed to the label and that a new album will be released in spring. The band recently wrapped up the recording of their upcoming full-length record at Chango Studios (Of Machines, I See Stars, Sleeping with Sirens, etc.) in Orlando, Florida.
On March 3, 2011, a full album teaser for their sophomore album The Hollow was released via Rise Records YouTube page, including its release date of April 26, 2011. On March 22, a full song from The Hollow, titled "The Sinner", was released to Rise Records YouTube page and on iTunes. On April 23, the entire album was released on the Rise Records YouTube page.
On September 15th, the video for the lead single from The Hollow, "The Sinner", directed by Thunder Down Country was released on YouTube.
On February 15th, 2012, a live music video recorded in Orlando Florida for the song titled "The Unfaithful" was released on their YouTube Page.
On February 11th it was announced by Kellen McGregor that the band will be working with Cameron Mizell shortly again, to record their third studio album, Challenger. The album was released June 26th, 2012 through Rise Records while the band is on Warped Tour. On April 11th around midnight, Ryan Bentley announced he has parted ways with the band in a tweet saying "I'm no longer in Memphis May Fire. Details later." On April 17th, the band announced that Anthony Sepe (ex-Decoder) would be replacing Ryan Bentley as their new guitarist:
"For those who may not know already, we recently decided to part ways with our guitarist, Ryan Bentley, and wish him nothing but the best. He's a talented individual and we have no doubt that he will be successful no matter where life leads him. With that said, we'd like all of you to give a warm welcome to our new guitarist Anthony Sepe."
On March 25, 2014, their album Unconditional was released. On October 28, 2016, the band released the album This Light I Hold and on November 16, 2018, the album Broken was released, these last three all through Rise Records.
Current members:
Kellen McGregor – lead guitar, backing vocals, programming, keyboard (2006–present), lead vocals (2006)
Matty Mullins – lead vocals (2008–present)
Cory Elder – bass (2008–present)
Jake Garland – drums, percussion (2010–present)
Touring:
Samuel Penner – rhythm guitar (2017–present)
Former members:
Tanner Oakes – bass (2006–2007)
Ryan Dooley – drums (2006–2007)
Chase Ryan Robbins – lead vocals (2006–2008)
Jeremy Grisham – drums (2007–2008)
Austin Radford – bass (2007–2008)
Daniel De Los Santos – bass (2008)
Joel Seier – rhythm guitar (2009–2010)
Eric Molesworth – drums (2008–2010)
Ryan Bentley – rhythm guitar (2006–2009, 2010–2012)
Anthony Sepe – rhythm guitar (2012–2017)
Been There Done That
Memphis May Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But silence will not save our souls
We are becoming tired and weary
and our conscience is slowly growing old
Living by the reason of science
Never question what we are told
These words rise above my voice but I think you already know
I've done that and I refuse to go back
Nothing you can do will change my mind
All trust me I've been there I've done that
And I refuse to go back
Nothing you can do will change my mind
Were all searching for something
so much greater than what we have
And these lies have nothing to offer us
A bigger meaning a better purpose
please trust me this is worth it
You don't have to be the person you were yesterday
Take your seats
Now please let me break the silence and say
What you've been waiting to hear
I have the answer I have the cure
I have the answer I have the answer I have the cure
I have the answer I have the cure
I have the answer I have the cure
I'll say it again and again
I have the cure
Everything is overly organized
But you seem strangely out of place
When will you realize the past can
not be erased (when will you realize)
Were all searching for something so much greater than what we have
And these lies have nothing to offer us
A bigger meaning a better purpose please trust me this is worth it
You don't have to be the person you were yesterday
I refuse to wash my hands of this
And forget what needs to be said
If life is all we are living for then kill me now
If life is all we are living for then kill me now
The song "Been There Done That" by Memphis May Fire is a reflection on the current state of society, where people are becoming increasingly complacent and unwilling to question the status quo. The lyrics express a sense of frustration with the way things are, and a desire to break free from this cycle of conformity.
The first verse of the song acknowledges that we are all guilty of this behavior, but simply remaining silent will not save our souls. This is followed by a call to question what we are told, rather than blindly accepting it as truth. The chorus is a defiant statement that the singer has already been down this road and refuses to go back, and that nothing can change their mind.
The second verse is a plea for people to search for something greater than what they already have, and to recognize that the lies they have been fed offer nothing of substance. The lyrics suggest that there is a bigger meaning and a better purpose to life, and that it is worth pursuing. The bridge features a repetition of the line "I have the answer, I have the cure", which could be interpreted as the singer offering themselves as a solution to the problem of societal complacency.
The final verse is a rejection of the idea that life is only worth living for its own sake. The lyrics suggest a frustration with how "overly organized" everything is, and a desire to break free from this constraint. The singer closes by stating that they refuse to wash their hands of the issue and forget about what needs to be said, and that if life is truly all we are living for, they would rather be dead.
Line by Line Meaning
We are all guilty
We all have our own faults and have made mistakes
But silence will not save our souls
We shouldn't keep quiet about our mistakes in hopes of saving ourselves spiritually
We are becoming tired and weary
Our constant desire for more is draining us
and our conscience is slowly growing old
Our guilt over our misdeeds is becoming less and less of a burden
Living by the reason of science
We're living our lives solely based on scientific evidence
Never question what we are told
We accept what we're told without question
These words rise above my voice but I think you already know
I feel like what I'm about to say is redundant since you already understand where I'm coming from
Now let's get one thing straight I've been there
I'm not just speaking on theory, I've lived through what I'm saying
I've done that and I refuse to go back
Through my own experience, I've learned my lesson and won't repeat the same mistakes
Nothing you can do will change my mind
No matter what anyone else says, I firmly believe in what I know to be true
Were all searching for something
As humans, we all have a deep desire for something more than what we currently have
so much greater than what we have
We yearn for something bigger and more significant than our current reality
And these lies have nothing to offer us
Falsehoods and deception don't fulfill that desire or purpose in our lives
A bigger meaning a better purpose
We need something that will provide us with a sense of purpose and belonging
please trust me this is worth it
I know that what I'm proposing will be worth the effort and challenges
You don't have to be the person you were yesterday
We can always grow and improve ourselves
Take your seats
This is the moment to listen and learn
Now please let me break the silence and say
It's time for me to speak up
What you've been waiting to hear
I'm finally going to address what everyone's been wanting to discuss
I have the answer I have the cure
I know what the solution to our problems is
I'll say it again and again
I'll reiterate as many times as necessary to have everyone understand
Everything is overly organized
Our lives are too structured and lacking spontaneity
But you seem strangely out of place
You don't fit into the routine of life that we've built
When will you realize the past can not be erased (when will you realize)
We can't change or ignore the past, we can only learn from it
I refuse to wash my hands of this
I won't ignore this problem or pretend it doesn't exist
And forget what needs to be said
I won't avoid discussing what we need to address
If life is all we are living for then kill me now
If the point of our existence is solely to go through the motions of life without purpose, then what's the point?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind