History
Formation (2002–2003)
Misery Signals was formed after the disbandment of several bands, including 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Hamartia and Compromise. Having played briefly with 7 Angels 7 Plagues, former Compromise vocalist Jesse Zaraska was approached by Ryan Morgan and Kyle Johnson for a new project, which would become Misery Signals. Jeff Aust from Hamartia joined on as second guitar, and Ryan Morgan's brother Branden joined as the bands drummer. Aust soon left the band and has since gone on to join With Honor, he was replaced by Stu Ross - a friend of Jesse Zaraska's from St. Albert, Alberta.
Signing to Ferret Music (2004–2009)
The band eventually signed to New Jersey's Ferret Music, releasing their first full-length album, Of Malice and the Magnum Heart. After extensive touring, Zaraska decided to leave the band to focus on a smaller, less aggressive project named Sleeping Girl, at which point the rest of the band decided to put up an instrumental song on their MySpace page, encouraging anyone who wanted to take over the spot of vocalist to record their own voice over the instrumental and e-mail it to the band. This was the way they found new vocalist Karl Schubach, with whom they recorded the album, Mirrors. In July 2008 Misery Signals released their third full-length entitled Controller. After extensive touring in support of Controller in early 2009, members of Misery Signals wanted to pursue other musical directions outside of their band.
Focus on side projects (2009–2010)
Schubach is involved in a heavy metal side project called Solace. He is the sole member of the band, recording guitar, bass and vocals in a D.I.Y.-fashioned home studio. The drums are added in digitally, through the use of a program on his Macbook.
The hardcore/punk band Burning Empires consists of members from Misery Signals, Fall Out Boy and 7 Angels 7 Plagues. Ryan Morgan does the vocals, Kyle Johnson plays bass, Stu Ross and Matthew Mixon play guitar, while Andy Hurley plays the drums. Andy Hurley is an avid supporter of the Wisconsin hardcore scene. The quintet also have a clothing line/record label called Fuck City. In October 2010, Kyle Johnson also announced his departure from the band.
There is also a pop punk/hardcore band named Lowtalker that consists of Branden Morgan and Stuart Ross of Misery Signals. They team up with Casey Hjelmberg and Matt Keil of Comeback Kid to complete the four piece project. Lowtalker are set to release their EP People Worry About Everything in the spring of 2010 through FC records.
In 2010, Stuart Ross became the frontman of a pop-punk band from Vancouver, B.C. named Living with Lions. Ross officially left Misery Signals on September 25, 2010 to put his focus on this new project, and was reportedly tired of performing heavy metal.
New album (2011)
After an extended period of inactivity with a heavy focus on side projects, Misery Signals made an official statement about the state of the band in November 2010. The press release addressed the loss of Ross and Johnson, and also announced that the band had not, in fact, broken up.[3] Ryan Morgan commented that, "In the next few months, we'll group back up and return."[3] Despite losing two of the founding members of Misery Signals, the remaining members did not consider changing the name of the group. On maintaining the continuity of the band's style and keeping the same name, Morgan said, "Stu and Kyle made awesome contributions, but the trajectory of the band remains the same in their absence. If the time came that our sound took a drastically different course, then it wouldn't be Misery Signals anymore, and we wouldn't pretend that it was.
On October 19, 2016, rumours of an original lineup reunion tour and album were confirmed by vocalist Jesse Zaraska. When reached for comment by Nic Huber of www.metalinjection.net, Zaraska had the following to say: "It is the truth, sir. We are in the midst of writing new material together and will be playing some show over the coming year. It has been very cool thus far. We will definitely be doing a proper US tour in 2017."
On March 24, 2018, at the event Midwest Meltdown in Iowa City, Iowa; Misery Signals frontman Jesse Zaraska, announced the band had been holed up on Boise, Idaho over the previous few weeks. He stated that they are, indeed, working on a new album. Zaraska stated on stage, that he believes their newest album "will be the BEST Misery Signals album yet." When asked about the style of the new album, Zaraska replied "It will probably be a lot like of Malice."
On the "Death to False Metalcore Tour 2019" with Darkest Hour and Unearth, the band played a song titled "Sunlifter" from their Absent Light B-Side vinyl release. Zaraska also stated November 2019 as the release date for their new album.
On May 8, 2020, a 26 second fixed-camera video of ocean waves, with only the date "05.15.2020" appearing center screen at the end of the video, was posted to Misery Signals’ social media accounts, suggesting that new music, or a new album, is set to be announced, and/or released, on that date.
On May 14, 2020, Misery Signals announced their upcoming fifth studio album, Ultraviolet, to be released on August 7, 2020, along with the release of the single “The Tempest”
Members
CURRENT LINE-UP:
Ryan Morgan – lead guitar, backing vocals (2002–present)
Branden Morgan – drums (2002–present)
Jesse Zaraska – vocals (2002–2006, 2014–present)
Kyle Johnson – bass guitar (2002–2010, 2013–present)
Stu Ross – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2002–2010, 2014–present)
Former Members:
Jeff Aust – guitar (2002)
Karl Schubach – vocals (2006–2014)
Gregory Thomas – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011–2014)
Kent Wren – bass guitar (2011–2013)
Discography
Studio albums:
Of Malice and the Magnum Heart (2004)
Mirrors (2006)
Controller (2008)
Absent Light (2013)
Ultraviolet (2020)
EPs:
Misery Signals (2003)
Post Collapse
Misery Signals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our hopes and aspirations ground to dust
I've fallen with my spirits
Of withered hand and hope
This hole will dig itself with minutes passing
Reincarnate deliverance that was once possessed
I've seen this in my dreams, in this day; Reality
But I'm wrapped around a time so far removed
Now together, we are one
At peace in out disbelief
The ties that bind are now threadbare
It doesn't have to end to begin again
It doesn't have to end to begin again
I've seen this in my dreams, in this day; reality
But I'm wrapped around a time so far removed
The weight bestowed on me today it's uplifting
Now I fear no falter, there is no doubt.
We climb out from the wreck to live again
Now together, we are one
At peace in our disbelief
The ties that bind are now threadbare
Take hold these words of fallen heroes
Whose lives pave the way to our redemption
Lest we forget
The lyrics to Misery Signals’ “Post Collapse” express the feelings of despair and hopelessness that come with the realization that our hopes and aspirations may never come to fruition. The opening lines “Forever reaching/ Our hopes and aspirations ground to dust” show the perpetual struggle to achieve our dreams, only for them to crumble before us. The singer then admits to feeling defeated, with “withered hand and hope” as they watch the time pass and the hole they’re in getting deeper.
However, the song shifts towards a message of hope and redemption in the following lines. The singer recalls seeing this struggle in their dreams and in their current reality but feels like they’re stuck in a time “so far removed.” Still, they acknowledge that the weight they carry feels uplifting, and they no longer fear faltering or doubting. They continue on this journey, climbing out from the wreckage to live once again. The repeated refrain at the end, “Now together, we are one/ At peace in our disbelief/ The ties that bind are now threadbare” reflects the sense of unity and acceptance they have found with others on this journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Forever reaching
We are constantly striving for more and better.
Our hopes and aspirations ground to dust
Despite our best efforts, our dreams often fall short or are crushed.
I've fallen with my spirits
My emotions have taken a negative turn and I feel defeated.
Of withered hand and hope
Not only have my spirits fallen, but I am lacking in strength and optimism.
This hole will dig itself with minutes passing
We feel like we're stuck in a never-ending cycle of negativity and despair.
Reincarnate deliverance that was once possessed
We strive to regain the happiness and success we once had.
I've seen this in my dreams, in this day; Reality
The idea of a better life is not just a fleeting thought, it's something we genuinely believe in.
But I'm wrapped around a time so far removed
We feel like the time for us to achieve our goals has passed, and we are left with nothing but regret and disillusionment.
This weight bestowed on me today uplifting
Despite the overwhelming feelings of defeat, we take comfort in the fact that we are not alone and that the struggle itself can bring about positive change.
Now together, we are one
We find strength and support in others who share our struggles.
At peace in out disbelief
Although life may not go as planned, we find peace in accepting our current realities and moving forward from there.
The ties that bind are now threadbare
The things that once held us together and gave us stability are no longer as strong.
It doesn't have to end to begin again
We can choose to see every failure as an opportunity to start anew and work towards our goals once more.
I've seen this in my dreams, in this day; reality
Our dreams for a better life remain just as vivid and real as our current circumstances.
But I'm wrapped around a time so far removed
Our dreams may feel out of reach due to the passage of time or other barriers.
The weight bestowed on me today it's uplifting
Despite the struggle, we find strength and resilience to keep pushing forward.
Now I fear no falter, there is no doubt.
We have gained confidence and trust in ourselves to pursue our dreams without hesitation or reservation.
We climb out from the wreck to live again
No matter how difficult the situation, we have the strength and determination to overcome it and find new, better opportunities.
Take hold these words of fallen heroes
We find inspiration and motivation in those who have struggled in similar ways and come out on top.
Whose lives pave the way to our redemption
The struggles and triumphs of others give us hope and direction in our own lives.
Lest we forget
Let us not forget the lessons and inspiration we have gained from our struggles and the struggles of others.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind