The sonic blast Nights Like These delivers is a fusion of the full spectrum of metal, from the complex interplay of Between the Buried and Me to the primal riff assault of Darkest Hour to the unpredictability of The Red Chord. Guitarists Derren Saucier and Matt Qualls seamlessly weave intricate, cacophonic tangents with unrelenting breakdowns. Bassist Sebastian Rios and drummer Patrick Leatherwood provide the framework for the controlled madness that runs the gamut from blast beat-filled death metal intensity to blistering bouts of double bass, wielding their versatility like a weapon. Upon this canvas of chaos, vocalist Billy Bottom opens himself up to paint honest but shockingly intense images. “Most of the songs on the album revolve around losing faith in the world as I personally know it. The lyrics are depressing and most negative but I want kids who sing along to know that there are other dudes out there that feel the same. I want our music to be an outlet for everyone who doesn’t have one.” Billy explains.
Nights Like These has built the largest local following on the heavy scene, regularly playing to packed crowds of super-fans who have memorized every word of their three-song demo. The energy generated from the band‘s live performance is palpable; the stage is all but aflame when this quintet tears through their set list of grinding, unforgiving, heavy metal. "We play what we want to hear", says vocalist Billy Bottom, "and if people like it, that‘s great, if not, then whatever. We definitely have a lot up our sleeve and won’t be stopping anytime soon." Nights Like These have shared the stage with some of the best heavy bands out there, from Poison The Well and Bury Your Dead to The Red Chord and Skinless, building a remarkable reputation at an age when many are watching the calendar and waiting to turn 21.
Victory Records picked up on the buzz from the South and signed Nights Like These in early 2006. The band entered the studio shortly thereafter with Andreas Magnusson, known for his work with Black Dahlia Murder to record The Faithless, their debut album. Named to express their bleak outlet on the world, the band are quick to clarify that it is not a religious or atheistic station. “I have my issues with religion, but this is not an atheist album. It’s about losing faith in almost everything,” commented Bottom.
When asked about their band name, Bottom laughs, and explains, “This band was named after nights that we love. Playing shows, hanging out, when everything is perfect. Nights like these. Self-explanatory.” They are currently on tour bring those truly excellent nights to fans of aggressive music everywhere. The Faithless is in stores now!
Memento Mori
Nights Like These Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On these tightropes we're walking
I don't ever think we can make it
Across this open sky alone
My fingertips are frozen until the point
Of forgetting where I'm from
But sometimes the dead can't
We were left to dread the days of mouths
To feed and no one to come save us
The lyrics of Nights Like These's Memento Mori are intense and thought-provoking. The band sings about the struggles of life and how difficult it is to survive on one's own. The opening lines "Bandage our broken bodies, On these tightropes we're walking" sets the tone for the song. It speaks to the vulnerability of life and how we often feel like we are constantly on edge, balancing on a tightrope. The following line "I don't ever think we can make it, Across this open sky alone" highlights the idea that we cannot make it alone, that we need support and help from others.
The second verse is equally powerful, and the opening lines "My fingertips are frozen until the point, Of forgetting where I'm from" is a metaphor for the feeling of getting lost in life, losing one's sense of identity and purpose. The next lines, "But sometimes the dead can't, Forget like young lovers" is a profound realization that sometimes, we hold onto things that are dead or no longer serve us, just like young lovers who cannot forget each other.
The final verse is a commentary on poverty and the struggles of making ends meet. The lines "We were left to dread the days of mouths, To feed and no one to come save us" speaks to the challenges many people face when they are struggling to support themselves or their families.
Overall, the song Memento Mori is a powerful reflection of life's struggles and the need for support and help from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Bandage our broken bodies
We need help mending ourselves because we are physically and emotionally injured.
On these tightropes we're walking
We are living dangerously and are constantly pushed to our limits.
I don't ever think we can make it
We feel hopeless and doubt our ability to survive in this situation.
Across this open sky alone
We are feeling isolated and unsupported, like we are facing this challenge alone.
My fingertips are frozen until the point
We have been so cold and numb for so long that we have lost touch with ourselves.
Of forgetting where I'm from
We have become disconnected from our past and our sense of identity.
But sometimes the dead can't
Even in death, some things still haunt and linger within us.
Forget like young lovers
Memories and feelings can stay with us forever, like they do for young lovers.
We were left to dread the days of mouths
We were abandoned to struggle and worry about how we would survive and feed ourselves.
To feed and no one to come save us
We face hunger and desperation with no one to rescue or help us.
Contributed by Layla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.