England's Praying Mantis was one of the more melodic bands to emerge from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. They combined a Thin Lizzy-style twin guitar approach with Def Leppard-like vocal harmonies, resulting in a sound not unlike later-day Rainbow. Originally named Junction, the band was formed in the late '70s by brothers Tino (vocals/guitar) and Chris Troy (bass/vocals), later adding Steve Carroll (guitar/vocals) and Dave Potts (drums). This lineup released a three-track demo EP, Captured City, in 1980, the title track of which also appeared in the highly influential Metal for Muthas compilation. The band were soon signed to BMG Europe, and proceeded to record their debut album, Time Tells No Lies , released in 1981. It achieved modest success (by NWOBHM standards), and first single " Cheated " charted respectfully, earning Praying Mantis a slot on the prestigious Reading Festival. Regrettably, the band became embroiled in business and legal disputes with their management soon after, resulting in a year-long hiatus from recording or touring, and completely stalling their career. After being dropped by BMG, Praying Mantis disbanded. Then, in a Spinal Tap-ish twist of fate, the band found themselves enjoying a renaissance in Japan, prompting a reformation (with ex-Iron Maiden singer Paul DiAnno) and tour in 1990, which yielded the Live at Last LP. Praying Mantis has continued to record throughout the '90s with a number of different vocalists, releasing Predator in Disguise (1991), A Cry for a New World (1994), and To the Power of Ten (1995). None of these have charted or come close to recapturing the glory of their debut, but the band continues to tour the U.K. Fall 2000 saw the release of Nowhere to Hide.
1997-2006: Final years with Dennis Stratton
Praying Mantis, with Dennis Stratton as part of their lineup, continued to evolve musically, adapting to the changing rock music landscape. This period saw the band exploring new musical avenues while maintaining their core melodic hard rock identity. Since 1990, Dennis, Chris and Tino were the nucleolus of the band who wrote all the material. Stratton officially left Praying Mantis in 2006, although his final recorded material with them was in 2003.
2007-2012: Sanctuary and Metalmorphosis 30th Anniversary EP
Andy Burgess officially joined Praying Mantis in 2007, taking on the role of guitarist. One of Andy Burgess's most notable contributions to Praying Mantis was his role in the band's renowned dual guitar harmonies. These harmonies had long been a signature element of Praying Mantis' sound, and Burgess embraced this tradition while infusing it with his unique touch. In 2011, the Metalmorphosis 30th Anniversary EP was released. The album includes 10 re-recorded classic Praying Mantis tracks by the 2011 band line-up.
2013-2014: Hans In' Zandt and John Cuijpers joins the band
In 2013, the band announced they are to release a new single in October that year. The single is to officially introduce new members, John Cuijpers (vocals) and Hans in't Zandt (drums) to the band's fanbase after playing Colchester, Ipswich (with support from MGR Records band Kaine) and Cambridge Rock Festival with the brand new line-up. Zandt had previously toured with notable acts such as Toto, Jeff Scott Soto, Mad Max, Sinner, and Vengeance. Cuijpers was associated with several notable bands and musical projects, the prominent prior affiliations was with the Dutch rock band Vandenberg's MoonKings.
2015-present: Legacy, Gravity and Katharsis
Released in 2015, Legacy marked a formalization of the band's new lineup, featuring John Cuijpers on vocals and Hans In't Zandt on drums, alongside longstanding members Andy Burgess, Tino Troy and Chris Troy. The same lineup would go on and record Gravity (2018) and Katharsis (2022).
2024
Now consisting of guitarist Tino Troy, bassist Chris Troy, guitarist Andy Burgess, lead vocalist Jaycee Cuijpers and drummer Hans in’t Zandt , Praying Mantis have announced the release of their 13th studio album, “Defiance”. The album (April 2024) comes to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary and progresses from where the band has left off with their last release, 2022's “Katharsis”.
Wasted Years
Praying Mantis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I search for what remains
Once a heart so pure, bad blood now in my veins
WonDering what I ll finD
A world that's changed in line
This man has yet to live, just still a child in time
I believed that things would turn arounD
I survived with madness close behinD
Which man did I really betray
I've tasted death, I d fought anD I'd won
Died for this day, this day to come
I have waited for this moment in time
I could have cried a thousanD tears
But this freedom now, is all I 'll ever need
Redemption of these wasted years
A Life has passed me by
My youth had been anD gone
The bitterness is deep, it drives me on anD on
In realms of power, I was the sacrifice
The cheating of innocent, the loaded dice
I believed that things would turn arounD
But hope that faded every day
I survived with madness close behinD
Which man did I really betray
I've tasted death, I d fought anD I d won
Died for this day, this day to come
I have waited for this moment in time
I could have cried a thousanD tears
But this freedom now, is all I ll ever need
Redemption of these wasted years
The lyrics of "Wasted Years" by Praying Mantis explore the themes of regret, redemption, and the passage of time. The opening lines describe the singer's search for what remains of his once-pure heart, now tainted by bad blood. He wonders what he will find in a world that has changed so much since he was a child. The chorus speaks of hope that faded every day and the madness that pursued him, causing him to question which man he really betrayed.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's sense of bitterness and the passing of time. He feels that his youth has been wasted and that he has been sacrificed in realms of power where innocent people were cheated by loaded dice. Despite all of this, he has survived and fought for the day that he finally achieves redemption for these wasted years.
The lyrics of "Wasted Years" are emotive and introspective, with a sense of longing for what could have been and a determination to make things right. The song speaks to anyone who has experienced regret or missed opportunities, and encourages them to find meaning and purpose in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep into my soul
I am introspective and looking within myself
I search for what remains
I am searching for what's left of the person I used to be
Once a heart so pure, bad blood now in my veins
I used to be innocent and kind, but now I have been corrupted
Wondering what I'll find
I am unsure of what my search will reveal
A world that's changed in line
The world has changed since I last knew it
This man has yet to live, just still a child in time
I feel like I haven't truly lived yet and still have a lot to discover
I believed that things would turn around
I had hope that my life would take a positive turn
But hope that faded every day
My hope diminished with each passing day
I survived with madness close behind
I persevered through tough times with my sanity at risk
Which man did I really betray
I question if I have betrayed myself or others in the pursuit of my goals
I've tasted death, I'd fought and I'd won
I have faced death and emerged victorious
Died for this day, this day to come
I have made sacrifices in the past to reach this moment
I have waited for this moment in time
This is a significant moment that I have been anticipating
I could have cried a thousand tears
I could have been very emotional and upset about my past
But this freedom now, is all I'll ever need
However, I am content with my current state of freedom
Redemption of these wasted years
This freedom has given me a sense of redemption for the years I feel I wasted
A life has passed me by
I feel like I have missed out on much of life
My youth had been and gone
My youth is a thing of the past
The bitterness is deep, it drives me on and on
I have a deep sense of bitterness that motivates me to keep going
In realms of power, I was the sacrifice
I made sacrifices in my pursuit of power and success
The cheating of innocent, the loaded dice
I may have harmed innocent people in my pursuit of success
Contributed by Alice B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
msxoin
Very underrated band
Anton Sander
Too damn underrated for the amount, for lack of better words, of AWESOME in this band.
Andrew Parsons
I love this song so much
Cesar Andres Prada Vega
Que poder de banda esto si hace hervir la sangre.
ata mata
Thank you so much for this upload!!! I never heard of this old school kick ass band!! They are so good!
Jay Geon
This wasted years is way better than the other one. Life is not fair. It is all about timing.
Been Alive
Both are amazing dude. The first one even brought something new to metal at the time. Somewhere/Forever in Time still rule it 🤘🤘
Emina Brestovac
I love this vocal so sooo much <3
Aodh Warburton
I'm more into black/death metal, but the solos in this are undeniable
Oscar QG
de las mejores bandas de la vida.....