Modern Life Is War 7-inch EP was released through Lifeline Records in early 2002. Their two subsequent studio albums, 2003's My Love. My Way. and 2005's Witness are now available through the Deathwish Inc. record label, which is owned and operated by Converge singer Jacob Bannon.
In mid-2005, after the release of Witness, guitarist Matt Hoffman and bassist Chris Honeck left the band. They were replaced by Sjarm 13 and Tim Churchman, respectively. On February 9, 2007, M.L.I.W. announced that they had inked a record deal with Equal Vision Records. The band's third full length album, Midnight in America, was released on August 21, 2007 to positive reviews.
On February 19, 2008, the band announced on their Myspace page that they would be breaking up, and that they were planning one final American tour, starting March 29 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and reconvening on April 26 in the band's hometown of Marshalltown. In a separate interview conducted several weeks before the tour, the band members discussed their hopes and achievements in playing together for the last six years: "I hope that we have made some people feel less alone. I hope we have motivated people to think for themselves; to be themselves and to take action. Punk rock changed our lives, and I hope that we as a band contributed something to keep the whole thing going. We are leaving soon, but the future is unwritten..."
In September 2012, the original lineup reunited and wrote an album in John Eich's basement. Modern Life is War formally announced its reunion in April 2013 and the intent to record and release the new album through Deathwish by September 2013. The band didn't expect to heavily tour during the reunion; as of April 2013, Modern Life Is War were only booked to headline This Is Hardcore Festival and a record release show. Retrospectively, Modern Life is War wished they hadn't broken up, but instead scaled back their efforts so they could do it, "without so much stress and life crushing commitment." The band released their fourth studio album Fever Hunting on September 9, 2013 through Deathwish, which was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge. Modern Life is War embarked on a six-date tour in celebration of the new album in October 2013.
Jeffrey Eaton - Vocals
John Paul Eich - Guitar
Matt Hoffman - Guitar
Chris Honeck - Bass
Tyler Oleson - Drums
Pendulum
Modern Life Is War Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How did it feel to twice be burned at the stake?
Did you fly too high like icarus?
Did you run to fast?
Did you give too much love to a world that would never understand?
We are the flowers that grew from the sod.
How dreary to be somebody.
I too, have no country.
If you were shining down on me, I wouldn't kneel.
I would stand upright the way you did.
All your life and everything you dreamed of, so short the kiss.
Forever on the silver screen.
Forever in our hearts.
Forever in these humble streets.
Forever like you were in the start.
Dancing in your stockings to your 45's.
Forever Innocent. Too full: your heart. Too wide: your eyes.
In strange places. In the company of strange men.
And you said goodbye. And I understand.
The lyrics to Modern Life Is War's song Pendulum are about the cycle of fame and success and the toll it takes on those who achieve it. The opening lines ask how it feels to become a saint and then be burned at the stake, referencing the idea that those who achieve great things are often celebrated and then torn down. The questions about flying too high like Icarus and giving too much love to a world that doesn't understand suggest that maybe the person being sung about gave too much of themselves to attain success, and ended up falling from grace.
The song then shifts to a more general message of how we are all just flowers that grew from the sod, and how dreary it is to be somebody. The line "I too, have no country" suggests a feeling of being lost or disconnected from one's roots, which may be a common experience for people who achieve fame and success. The lyrics celebrate the idea of standing upright and remaining true to oneself, rather than bowing down to the pressures of society.
The song ends with a tribute to someone who lived their life to the fullest, but died too soon. The image of dancing in stockings to 45's suggests a joyful, carefree spirit that was cut short. The line "too full: your heart. Too wide: your eyes." underscores the idea that this person lived intensely, and maybe loved too much. The final lines offer acceptance of this person's passing, and a sense of understanding that their time was brief but meaningful.
Overall, the lyrics to Pendulum are a poignant commentary on the highs and lows of fame and success, and the toll it can take on those who achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
How did it feel to twice become a saint?
What was the sensation of being canonized twice by the Church?
How did it feel to twice be burned at the stake?
What was the sensation of being executed as a heretic twice by the authorities?
Did you fly too high like icarus?
Did you have too much ambition that led to your downfall, like the mythological character Icarus?
Did you run to fast?
Did you rush through life too quickly without considering the consequences?
Did you give too much love to a world that would never understand?
Did you pour out your affection to a society that was incapable of appreciating it?
We are the flowers that grew from the sod.
We are the survivors who rose from the difficult circumstances of life.
How dreary to be somebody.
How boring and unexciting it is to conform to societal norms and expectations.
I too, have no country.
Like the person addressed in the song, the artist also feels displaced and disconnected from their homeland.
And I know how it feels.
The artist can empathize with the person addressed in the song and understands their struggles.
If you were shining down on me, I wouldn't kneel.
If the person addressed in the song were still alive and exerting their influence, the artist would not accept or submit to it.
I would stand upright the way you did.
The singer would strive to embody the values and principles of the person addressed in the song.
All your life and everything you dreamed of, so short the kiss.
Despite having aspirations and working towards them their whole life, their accomplishments were short-lived and fleeting.
Forever on the silver screen.
The person addressed in the song will live on through their works and memories in popular culture.
Forever in our hearts.
The person addressed in the song will always be remembered and cherished by those who loved and admired them.
Forever in these humble streets.
The person addressed in the song will always be associated with and celebrated in the neighborhoods and communities they came from.
Forever like you were in the start.
The person addressed in the song will always be remembered for their youthful vigor and authenticity.
Dancing in your stockings to your 45's.
The person addressed in the song was carefree and unbridled in their youth, dancing to vinyl records in their socks.
Forever Innocent. Too full: your heart. Too wide: your eyes.
The person addressed in the song was pure and earnest in their intentions, with a heart and vision that were too large for this world.
In strange places. In the company of strange men.
The person addressed in the song went to unfamiliar and unpredictable environments, sometimes surrounding themselves with untrustworthy or unfamiliar people.
And you said goodbye. And I understand.
The person addressed in the song has passed away, and the artist accepts and comprehends their departure.
Contributed by Alexander O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.