The band came together in 1999 with musical friends Justin Wilson (guitar/vocals), Jeff Wilganowski (drums), Brian Pho (bass), and Matt Pitman (guitar). They've perfected their emo style for something charming and desirable, allowing Deep Elm to take interest in the band and inking them a deal in late 1999. They spent most of 2000 recording in Deedle's Room in Austin, TX, recording what would become a full-length studio effort. The fruit of those sessions was Breaking in an Angel (2001,) plus a split disc with Slowride. The next year, the more complex and ferocious Black Phantom Crusades was released in the fall.
Brian quit the band while in Europe touring. Jeff Meaningless was flown out and soon became the permanent replacement.
2004 saw the release of Polizida, recorded by J. Robbins (Against Me!, Jets To Brazil, Dismemberment Plan) which was released through the Ice Planet label.
Their latest release, Seven Year War was released in 2006 on END sounds.
The band had this to say about the release:
This album came together after it became clear that our music was not getting the distribution it deserves. With End Sounds, we have found American, European, and Japanese distribution with Koch, who was the distributior for Epitaph Records for many years. Koch makes our music available to almost anyone that wants to hear it. Orders will be taken through the End Sounds website for anyone that cannot find it in their local stores.
The music is a collection of songs, new and old, that best represent the band since it's inception in 1998. Some of the tracks were recorded at The Hit Factory in NYC, some with J. Robbins at the Echo Lab in Denton, TX, some at Deedle's Room Recording, one at Mad River Post, which is easily the biggest room any of us have ever recorded in, and two of the tracks are early live recordings in two of Dallas's best clubs.
This release will be enhanced and will include 9 music videos, two of which were directed by Travis Kopach, who's done videos for Matchbook Romance, The Juliana Theory, Koufax, and Straylight Run. The live songs featured on the audio section of the disc will have corresponding videos, two videos will be for songs from our 3rd full-length, "Polizida".
The artwork and tracklisting were left up completely up to the band, so for first time we can say we are giving our fans a record that looks and sounds exactly the way we wanted it to. Any song that first appeared on a 7-inch or CD compilation has been re-mastered from the original recording and sounds 100% better.
We totally appreciate the fans that have stuck by our side and to them we say a warm thank you for buying this record that really means something to us. This release is packed to the gills with material and we hope you enjoy it.
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2006 saw several changes within the band. Jeff Meaningless and Jeff Wilganowski quit the band. Replacing them was Todd Harwell (Flickerstick) on drums and Blake Young (Without Sound) on bass.
The band has remained somewhat silent in the past year after canceling their summer tour.
Satellites
Red Animal War Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a monk who is hungry from the belly within
I am trying to run you're reloading what's the deal
What's the deal
With all this cardinal sin
My legs are heavy like a bad bad bad dream
I don't want to live the way you want me to live by the green
I am not going to breathe the air you're going to breathe
'Cause it's contaminated
I don't want to live the way you want me to live
So let me be
We are going to crack your code tonight
With satellites ah with satellites
I've got a programmer on my payroll
Is it any wonder everybody's skills are up for sale
Are we just prisoners in the right clothes
This art is built on barcodes what do you know about it
I don't want to live the way you want me to live violently
Silently I am not going to breathe the air you're going to breathe
It's contaminated
I don¹t want to live the way you want me to live
So let me
Be we are trying to live through these moments
Like a crow's soul we all as one know
We are trying to tell you we believe what's the deal what's the deal with all this cardinal sin
My legs are heavy like a bad dream
Or some think tank's decision to green-light this disease
The Red Animal War's song Satellites is a critique on conformity, societal pressure, and environmental degradation. The lyrics focus on the idea that society demands us to live in a certain way, breathe certain air and think in certain patterns. The singer is portrayed as someone who defies the norms of society and is determined to live life on his terms, even if it means sacrificing his material and social wealth. He chooses to distance himself from the system and live moment by moment like a monk, starving for his beliefs rather than succumbing to society's expectations. The lyrics suggest that the world is contaminated, polluted by the very systems that are supposed to help us live a better life, and it is up to us to reject these norms and live the way we see fit.
One of the most interesting things about Satellites is its origin story. The song was written as an instrumental for a college art project on minimalism by Bradly B. Warner. When the project was complete, Warner formed the Red Animal War and used the instrumental as a foundation for the song. The finished version of the song, with vocals, was recorded in two takes, and the lyrics were improvised by Justin Wilson, the lead singer of the band.
Another fascinating aspect of the song is the way it draws inspiration from diverse sources. The lyrics reference a monk's lifestyle, think tank decisions, and art based on barcodes, which highlight the multifaceted nature of the song. The lyrics seem cryptic at first, but a closer reading reveals subtle allusions to consumerism, capitalism, and environmentalism.
Line by Line Meaning
I am trying to live for this moment
I am striving to live in the present and enjoy every moment.
Like a monk who is hungry from the belly within
I have an intense craving deep inside me that drives me to keep going, much like a monk's hunger for spiritual fulfillment.
I am trying to run you're reloading what's the deal
I am trying to move forward, but you keep holding me back. What is your intention?
What's the deal with all this cardinal sin
What is the reason behind all these immoral actions?
My legs are heavy like a bad bad bad dream
My legs feel weighed down and burdened, like in a nightmare that won't end.
Or the words from some motherfucker from some scene
Or perhaps it's the impact of some hurtful words or actions from someone I don't even know.
I don't want to live the way you want me to live by the green
I won't conform to your standards of success and wealth.
I am not going to breathe the air you're going to breathe
I refuse to follow in your footsteps and conform to your way of life.
‘Cause it's contaminated
Because your way of living is tainted and corrupted.
So let me be
Allow me to live my life on my own terms.
We are going to crack your code tonight
We are determined to figure out the truth behind your actions and intentions.
With satellites ah with satellites
We will use modern technology to uncover your secrets.
I've got a programmer on my payroll
I have a skilled expert who will help us decode and understand your actions.
Is it any wonder everybody's skills are up for sale
Isn't it surprising that even people's abilities and talents are commoditized and traded like goods?
Are we just prisoners in the right clothes
Are we merely conforming to society's expectations and dressing the part of successful individuals, but still trapped by its rules and standards?
This art is built on barcodes what do you know about it
The whole system is based on identifying and categorizing individuals, how much do you truly understand about it?
I don't want to live the way you want me to live violently
I refuse to submit to your aggressive and oppressive way of life.
Silently I am not going to breathe the air you're going to breathe
Without making a fuss, I will not conform to your way of life.
We are trying to live through these moments
We are attempting to make the most out of every moment and live fully.
Like a crow's soul we all as one know
Like a group of crows, we feel united in our journey and understand each other deeply.
We are trying to tell you we believe what's the deal what's the deal with all this cardinal sin
We are expressing our conviction and questioning the motives behind all the immoral actions.
Or some think tank's decision to green-light this disease
Perhaps it's the result of some group's calculated decision to allow a harmful situation to continue.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMI GOODWIN, ANDY WILLIAMS, JEZ WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind