The ban… Read Full Bio ↴Parkway Drive is a metalcore band from Byron Bay, Australia.
The band formed in the summer of 2003, their name coming from the street they used to practice on in their home town of Byron Bay, Australia. Not long after they had formed, they released a split EP with Adelaide band I Killed The Prom Queen. Later that year, the band also made an appearance on the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation What We've Built, preceded by their debut EP, Don't Close Your Eyes.
In May 2005 the PwD headed to the USA to record their debut album with renowned metal producer, Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (who is responsible for acclaimed releases from the likes of Unearth, August Burns Red, Underoath and Johnny Truant.)
Since the release of Don't Close Your Eyes, Parkway Drive have rapidly accumulated a loyal fanbase Australia-wide, courtesy of support slots for international acts including Hatebreed, In Flames, Chimaira, Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying, Bleeding Through, Alexisonfire, and performances at Metal for The Brain 2005 and Australia's Hardcore 2005. They have built quite a strong reputation within the music industry, this led to their signing with Epitaph record label.
In June 2006 they released Killing With a Smile in the United States during August of that year.
In late May 2006, second bass player Shaun Cash left the band for personal reasons with the full support of the rest of the members. The band soon found a replacement in their "merch guy" and long-time friend, Jia "Pie" O'Connor. Now a permanent part of the line-up, he played with them for the rest of their first international tour in the United Kingdom, and Europe, and later dates in the United States.
In October 2006, they were billed as the Australian contingent on the Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour, playing alongside Anti-Flag, Underoath, Thursday, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday and Saosin. During November and December 2006, they appeared at the Homebake Festival, Sound Fest, Resist Records' tour, Soundwave Festival and Gravity G Festival before returning to the UK and Europe.
On 3 March 2007, a new song was previewed to a crowd at Underworld entitled "The Siren's Song". The song would later feature on Horizons. They were placed on the bill for the U.S. Vans Warped Tour 2007 as the only Australian band on the tour. On 15 August, Winston McCall appeared in an interview on the short.fast.loud show on Australia's Triple J Radio station in which he previewed a track off Horizons entitled "Boneyards".
Horizons was released on 6 October 2007. The album was generally acclaimed by critics and fans alike; especially Blunt Magazine, who wrote that the album 'simply slays from the get go' and awarded it 10/10, and planet-loud.com, which suggested that it would 'set the benchmark for metal albums to come'. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. After the release of Horizons, the band toured through the US, Australia and Europe with such bands such as Killswitch Engage, Bury Your Dead, Darkest Hour and others.
In February/March 2008, Parkway teamed up with Byron Bay bands/friends 50 lions and Word Up!, to complete the Surf Rats Tour of east coast Australia. This tour (travelling to towns not listed on the standard touring circuit) was based around surfing big surf spots on the way.
On 12 December 2008 while performing at UNSW Roundhouse, Parkway Drive announced that they were filming a DVD of the show, which would include footage of the performance and a few songs from other bands featured in the Sweat Fest Tour. On 18 January 2009, Parkway Drive announced their headlining US tour with Stick to Your Guns and Mychildren Mybride. On 28 January to 1 February 2009, Parkway Drive went on a tour in Japan with Shai Hulud and Crystal Lake. Parkway Drive played at the 2009 Bamboozle Lineup at the Giant's Stadium parking lots; as well as being confirmed at 2009's Download Festival.
In May 2009, Parkway Drive announced that they would be releasing a live DVD and an Australian tour was also announced with August Burns Red and Architects in support of it. It was on this tour that the band performed a new song entitled "Unrest."
On 11 January 2022, the band announced a North American tour in May and June, supported by Hatebreed, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Stick to Your Guns. However, on 6 April, they announced the cancellation of the tour, stating that "the relentless nature of being in this band has given us very little time to reflect on who we are as individuals, who we want to be and the toll it is taking on ourselves and our friendships". On 23 May, it was announced that for their mental health, Parkway Drive would be taking a break from activity, but clarified that they "are here to stay".
On 7 June, following a series of teasers released on various social media, the band unveiled a brand new single entitled "Glitch" along with a music video. On 8 June, the band announced that their Fall 2022 European tour with Lorna Shore and While She Sleeps would continue as scheduled with a rebrand, and new music to accompany said tour. On 6 July, the band released the second single "The Greatest Fear" and its corresponding music video. At the same time, they officially announced that their seventh studio album, Darker Still, was set for release on 9 September 2022, whilst also revealing the album cover and the track list.
Discography:
Albums
- 2005 - Killing with a Smile (Resist Records, Epitaph Records)
- 2007 - Horizons (Resist Records, Burning Heart Records, Epitaph Records)
- 2010 - Deep Blue (Resist Records, Epitah Records, Burning Heart)
- 2012 - Atlas (Resist Records, Epitah Records, Burning Heart)
- 2015 - I.R.E.
- 2018 - Reverence
- 2022 - Darker Still
Other Releases:
- 2003 - Split EP with I Killed The Prom Queen
- 2004 - Don’t Close Your Eyes EP (Resist Records)
- 2006 - Don’t Close Your Eyes (Reissue) EP (Resist Records)
- n/a - “What We’ve Built” BBHC compilation
- 2006 - Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em (Resist Records)
- 2007 - Boneyards (Resist Records)
- 2009 - Parkway Drive: The DVD
Members:
Current:
Winston McCall - Vocals (2003–present)
Jeff Ling - Lead guitar (2003–present)
Luke "Pig" Kilpatrick - Rhythm guitar (2003–present)
Ben "Gaz" Gordon - Drums (2003–present)
Jia "Pie" O'Connor - Bass (2006–present)
Former:
Shaun "Cashy" Cash - Bass (2004–2006)
Brett "Lagg" Versteeg - Bass & backing vocals (2003–2004)
The Sound of Violence
Parkway Drive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We hunt our sorrows down
We fought the nights so sleepless
We made our beds on the cold hard ground
Seasons come and go, traditions rise and fall
We watch with hunter's eyes
We found the place to call our own
Shadows never die, darkness never breaks
You built your bastions of ivory and pride
We see your gates, but do not knock
We stay out in the wild
What we have, we hunt, what we kill, we keep
Shadows never die, darkness never breaks, hey
This is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
And we're clawing at the walls, hey
This is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
And we're clawing at the walls
We're clawing at the walls
I see a kingdom of closed minds and shallow hearts
So tell me this, would you fall in line
Or rip it all apart, yeah
What we have, we hunt
What we kill, we keep
Shadows never die
Darkness never breaks
(Hey) this is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
And we're clawing at the walls, hey
This is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
And we're clawing at the walls
This is the hour of the wolf
We're clawing at the walls
This is the hour of the wolf
(Hey) this is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
And we're clawing at the walls, hey
This is the sound of violence, hey
These are the songs of war, hey
We are everything you fear
The lyrics to Parkway Drive's song "The Sound of Violence" convey a sense of rebellion and defiance against oppressive forces. The opening lines, "We cut our teeth on sadness, we hunt our sorrows down," suggest that the singer of the song has experienced hardships and adversity. They have fought through sleepless nights and made their beds on the cold hard ground, indicating a resilient and determined spirit.
The lyrics continue to describe the singer's refusal to conform to societal norms. They observe the changing seasons and traditions, but maintain a watchful eye, symbolizing their unwillingness to be controlled or restricted. The line "What we have, we hunt, what we kill, we keep" reflects the singer's attitude of claiming what they desire and holding onto it. They reject the ivory towers of the ruling class, choosing to stay outside in the wild, symbolizing their rejection of oppressive structures.
The chorus emphasizes the defiance and fearlessness of the singer. They declare that they are the sound of violence and the songs of war, representing a force to be reckoned with. They are everything that their enemies fear, clawing at the walls of their oppression. The reference to the hour of the wolf adds a sense of urgency and power to the message, suggesting that this is the time for rebellion and resistance.
Overall, "The Sound of Violence" presents a powerful and rebellious anthem against oppression and conformity. It speaks to the spirit of those who refuse to be silenced and are ready to fight for their freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
We cut our teeth on sadness
We have learned and grown through our experiences of pain and sorrow
We hunt our sorrows down
We actively seek out and confront our own sadness
We fought the nights so sleepless
We battled through countless sleepless nights
We made our beds on the cold hard ground
We have endured difficult and uncomfortable circumstances
Seasons come and go, traditions rise and fall
We witness the cyclical nature of life and the changing of societal norms
We watch with hunter's eyes
We observe our surroundings with a keen and vigilant perspective
We found the place to call our own
We have discovered a space where we belong and feel truly comfortable
You built your bastions of ivory and pride
You have constructed strong fortresses of privilege and arrogance
We see your gates, but do not knock
We are aware of your closed-off world, but we refuse to conform to it
We stay out in the wild
We choose to remain in the untamed and unpredictable realm
This is the sound of violence, hey
This is the embodiment of an intense and powerful force
These are the songs of war, hey
These are the expressions and narratives of conflict and struggle
We are everything you fear
We represent all that instills fear within you
And we're clawing at the walls, hey
We are aggressively and persistently fighting against the limitations and constraints
I see a kingdom of closed minds and shallow hearts
I perceive a society dominated by narrow-mindedness and superficiality
So tell me this, would you fall in line
Therefore, I ask if you would blindly conform
Or rip it all apart, yeah
Or instead, dismantle and challenge the existing order
This is the hour of the wolf
This is the moment of fierce determination and aggression
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Michael Gordon, Jeffrey Cleve Ling, Luke Kilpatrick, Winston Thomas McCall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jus10_lee
The more I listen to the tracks they've released, the more I realize it's not all that different. Sure it doesn't sound like KWAS or Horizons, but every album has had a different vibe. It's still Parkway.
@Dionjz11
+Justin Lee Saw someone say that KWAS, Horizons and Deep Blue were amazing, and that everything since was trash. I genuinely can't grasp how people can't see the similarities between this and Deep Blue. DB was when their sound /really/ changed to more like what it is now.
@jus10_lee
+Dionjz11 Yeah thats true. The change from Horizons to Deep Blue was night and day really.
@xjoemallardx
Deep Blue onward has made them stand out from all the generic clean singing bullshit, not like they ever blended in before. Their evolution from generic 2006 metalcore band to great metal band is outstanding. This album blasts my eardrums into my car windows!
@ggaaron5481
This is going to be masterpiece album.
@evanwiger
Wrong
@PEPEREX46
+Evan Wiger No :v
@Alex-gy2kn
+SpeedBurrito Very wrong?
@Alex-gy2kn
Jason LovesPWD If you're referring to Bottom Feeder, then yeah, it's definitely better although it sounds way too much like Vice Grip. And I'm pretty sure you can change your username through G+ lol.
I still need to listen to their older stuff, Atlas is the only album of theirs I've listened all the way through. I kinda jumped from shitty metalcore to good death and black metal, and haven't listened to a lot of stuff like PWD.
@truthseeker3105
Masterpiece? Exaggerating much?