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
These Mad Dogs of Glory
Modern Life Is War Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heroes and Fuck-ups bounding through time.
I sit alone. I raise a strong drink.
To your songs. Your words in think black ink.
And lives lived. Not fairy tales but flesh and blood.
Rimbaud on the Red Sea. Strummer in the slum.
Plath at her daddy's grave. Hunter with his gun.
These Punks. These Cowards.
Bukowski on a binge in the streets of L.A.
Those who lived hard cause they could see no other way.
Push a little towards me.
These Mad Dogs of Glory.
What you were born to be. What you become.
And what is left of a man when his work is done.
It's hard to imagine. It's hard to conceive.
Your abuse. Your failures. Your boredom. Your years of uncertainty.
Too Human. All Too Human. This Breathing in and out.
Breathe in. Breathe Out.
Miller in the tropics. Lorca murdered in the street.
Richey at the Severn Bridge feeling incomplete.
From here to eternity.
These Mad Dogs of Glory.
An orphan who spoke the silent language of love.
A victim of an American witch hunt. A victim of his times.
These Mad Dogs of Glory.
Sustained by Madness. Sustained by Darkness.
Push a little bit of light towards me.
These mad dogs of glory.
The lyrics of "These Mad Dogs of Glory" by Modern Life Is War are a tribute to those who lived their lives to the fullest, regardless of the cost. The opening lines of the song, "Sustained by madness. Sustained by Darkness. Heroes and Fuck-ups bounding through time," set the tone for the rest of the song. The references to famous poets, musicians, and writers such as Rimbaud, Strummer, Plath, Hunter, Bukowski, Miller, and Lorca show that the song's message is not limited to any one generation or style of art. These artists lived their lives with passion and intensity, often sacrificing their mental and physical wellbeing in pursuit of their art.
The chorus of the song, "These Punks. These Cowards. These Mad Dogs of Glory," is a nod to the punk rock ethos of living life on one's own terms and not conforming to the expectations of society. The line "Push a little towards me" suggests that the singer is in need of inspiration or motivation from these figures who have lived before him. He wants to be filled with the same sense of purpose and drive that they had, to become one of the "Mad Dogs of Glory" himself.
The last verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant, as it acknowledges the hardships that so many of these artists faced. It alludes to this idea of "too human" and that these artists faced abuse, failure, boredom, and uncertainty like everyone else, and yet they persevered. In the end, the song is a celebration of the human spirit and the power of art to inspire and uplift, even in the darkest of circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Sustained by madness. Sustained by Darkness.
They are kept alive by their craziness and the dark times they are living in.
Heroes and Fuck-ups bounding through time.
People who have achieved great things and those who have failed are both moving forward in time.
I sit alone. I raise a strong drink.
I am by myself, enjoying a powerful alcoholic beverage.
To your songs. Your words in think black ink.
I am listening and reading your works, which are deep and dark.
And lives lived. Not fairy tales but flesh and blood.
The stories are about real people and their actual experiences, not fantasy.
Rimbaud on the Red Sea. Strummer in the slum.
Rimbaud in Africa and Strummer in poverty-stricken areas.
Plath at her daddy's grave. Hunter with his gun.
Plath mourning her father, and Hunter with his weapon.
These Punks. These Cowards. These Mad Dogs of Glory.
These individuals: the punks, cowards, and crazies who are living their lives to the fullest.
Bukowski on a binge in the streets of L.A.
Bukowski drinking heavily in the streets of LA.
Those who lived hard cause they could see no other way.
People who have lived wildly, because they couldn't imagine any other alternative.
Push a little towards me. These Mad Dogs of Glory.
Please come closer, you wild and daring individuals.
What you were born to be. What you become.
Your destiny versus how you shape it through your actions and choices.
And what is left of a man when his work is done.
What remains of a person after they have completed their accomplishments.
It's hard to imagine. It's hard to conceive.
It's difficult to picture and comprehend.
Your abuse. Your failures. Your boredom. Your years of uncertainty.
The difficult and uncertain times in your life, filled with pain, failures, and plenty of boredom.
Too Human. All Too Human. This Breathing in and out.
We are all too human, just breathing in and out, living our lives and feeling our emotions.
Miller in the tropics. Lorca murdered in the street.
Miller living in tropical regions, while Lorca was tragically assassinated on the street.
Richey at the Severn Bridge feeling incomplete.
Richey standing at the Severn Bridge, not feeling whole.
From here to eternity. These Mad Dogs of Glory.
They will continue to live wildly and freely, forever and beyond.
An orphan who spoke the silent language of love.
Someone who was without parents, yet still able to communicate love without words.
A victim of an American witch hunt. A victim of his times.
Someone who was falsely accused of being a witch in America, a victim of the circumstances of their era.
Sustained by Madness. Sustained by Darkness.
Continuously surviving through insanity and darkness.
Push a little bit of light towards me. These mad dogs of glory.
Please give me some hope and brightness, you wild and daring folks.
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.