The band formed in 2000 as a five piece hardcore outfit dubbed Bound. When that band fell apart, bassist Nick Mclenighan and guitarists Terry Morrow and Greg Alltop reformed as a more melodic rock band (with Alltop becoming the band's drummer and Morrow assuming vocal duties). The group's sound shows the influence of bands such as Bad Religion, the Alkaline Trio and the Smoking Popes.
The band has been mentored by Dan Precision, a guitarist who played in popular punk acts 88 Fingers Louie, Rise Against and Break The Silence. The band made early recordings at Precision's Bombshelter studio in Chicago in 2002 and 2003, completing their first proper full length LP The Trials of Recession in February 2004. It was released on Double Zero Records, an outfit run by Mike Felumlee, former drummer of Chicago groups the Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio. The band signed with upstart label Punknews Records in 2005 and released their second full length Apocalypse In Increments on April 11, 2006.
This Time
Ryan's Hope Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's no longer a choice
We found the answer in the night
When the moon it swallows the earth
Never to return, it's alright to feel this way
If there's a will to fight
Then there's a will to stay alive
Blackened, we all fall
Much less ordinary now
Tonight I will reclaim
The life I thought was lost
Instead of pushing it away, I remain
Intoxicated by the memory
Yesterday
Much less ordinary now
That I have found a voice inside of me
And through the worldwide decline
Let it remind us that we never needed you
Because I never felt embraced by anything else
And never felt the way that I should have felt
But this time I won't wait in line
I'll never feel the shame of living without
The quest for a name that I don't care about because
This time I can call mine
Tonight I will reclaim the life I thought was lost
The lyrics of Ryan's Hope's song "This Time" is a representation of a person's inner struggle and determination to overcome their past mistakes and hardships. The lyrics suggest that the past has been haunting the person for a while, but now they have found the answers to their problems. They use the metaphor of the moon swallowing the earth to indicate the idea of starting over, rising from the ashes, and beginning anew.
As the song progresses, the lyrics talk about being "intoxicated by the memory yesterday," which highlights the person's inability to let go of the past. However, they realize that it's time to "reclaim the life they thought was lost." The song encourages people to take control of their lives and not wait for anyone else to certify them or their ambitions. They have the strength to be less ordinary and move forward, reclaiming their identity.
The lyrics also emphasize the importance of embracing your flaws, understanding your mistakes, and learning from them. The song encourages people to find their voices, and through them, stand up for themselves and their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
This time we'll get it right
We are determined to do things the right way this time around.
And it's no longer a choice
We have no option but to make things work this time.
We found the answer in the night
We discovered the solution during a time of darkness and confusion.
When the moon it swallows the earth
During an eclipse, when the moon completely covers the sun, everything gets dark and things are not as they seem.
Never to return, it's alright to feel this way
The past will never come back, so it's okay to feel a certain type of way about it.
If there's a will to fight
If there's a strong desire to overcome challenges and obstacles,
Then there's a will to stay alive
One can find the strength to keep moving forward even during tough times.
Come alive in the darkness of your mind
Awaken or come to life even during a time of difficulty and confusion.
Blackened, we all fall
When things become unclear, we all struggle and face challenges.
Much less ordinary now
Things are no longer the same and are now unique or extraordinary.
Tonight I will reclaim
I will take back what's mine and regain control over my life.
The life I thought was lost
The life that seemed as if it were gone forever or unattainable.
Instead of pushing it away, I remain
Instead of running from it, I choose to face it and hold on to it.
Intoxicated by the memory
Hypnotized or captivated by the thought of the past.
Much less ordinary now
Again, things have changed and are no longer the same as they were before.
That I have found a voice inside of me
I have found my own strength and confidence to speak up for myself.
And through the worldwide decline
Despite the troubling times and challenges present globally,
Let it remind us that we never needed you
We realize that we never really needed someone else to survive or move forward.
Because I never felt embraced by anything else
I never felt fully accepted or welcomed by anything else.
And never felt the way that I should have felt
I never felt how I believed I should have felt in certain situations.
But this time I won't wait in line
I won't allow myself to be held back or wait for someone else's approval to move forward.
I'll never feel the shame of living without
I won't let myself feel embarrassed or degraded for not having certain things.
The quest for a name that I don't care about because
I don't care to chase a meaningless title or label.
This time I can call mine
This time, I can take ownership and pride in what I have and what I'm building for myself.
Tonight I will reclaim the life I thought was lost
Once again, I will take back control over my life and redeem what was once thought of as lost.
Contributed by Liliana H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.