Mike, Carlos, David, Chris, and Bob started Scars Of Tomorrow in October of 2000 with many common goals, one of them being to create a sound that reflected their love of east coast hardcore and the familiar sound of the California scene that they all had been a part of for so long. Scars Of Tomorrow released two full lengths via Thorp Records and released their Victory debut in February of 2002, called Rope Tied To The Trigger.
For Scars Of Tomorrow, these past three years they’ve spent on Victory Records have been tremendously successful. The band has toured the United States and Canada numerous times over with bands like Atreyu, Norma Jean, and Himsa, which built them a rock solid and unstoppably loyal fan base. Features and reviews were seen in AMP, Alternative Press, Revolver, Skratch, Metal Maniacs, and their video could be seen every weekend on MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball, forging the band to the front lines of all things ferocious and to thousands of shopping carts. Alternative Press commented: “Scars will leave the scene better than they found it….” The metal and hardcore world is more than prepared and anticipating the new chaos from Scars Of Tomorrow.
The Horror Of Realization issues a battle cry for every heavy music scene to wake up and experience the pulverizing melodies and enlightening lyrics that Scars Of Tomorrow has to offer. Vocalist Mike Milford said, “This record differs from the last in a bunch of different ways. It’s more upbeat, has a faster tempo, and the guitar work is a lot more versatile on this record. Lyrically, a lot more emotion was piled into it as well. People blind themselves and try to believe everything is perfect when it’s not. This is something that needs to be shoved in their faces and hopefully they help make a difference.” The Horror Of Realization also shows Scars Of Tomorrow switching gears a bit and experimenting with ambient noise tracks, catching different emotions and mirroring some situations and events from the band’s past.
Produced by Matt Bayles whose fame has come from working with Mastodon, Isis, Pearl Jam and more, The Horror Of Realization also features a guest appearance by Atreyu frontman Alex Varkatzas on the track called “The Hidden Grudge”. Mike commented on his pairing with Alex: “Alex has always been a close friend and one of the few bands around home that have ever believed in us. Atreyu has done nothing but show us love and help us out with everything possible. I was really excited when Alex agreed to do it.”
Suddenly the hot spot of Southern California has gotten hotter with Scars Of Tomorrow’s latest and greatest effort of hardcore savagery, metal ferocity, and luxuriant atmospheric sensibility. A full scale US tour with labelmates Bury Your Dead will commence this fall and will solidify The Horror Of Realization in headbanging history. Be sure to check out Scars Of Tomorrow’s controversially brutal new video for “The Constant Horror Of Reality”, shot by Dave Brodsky (All That Remains, The Red Chord).
Scars of Tomorrow played a reunion show in 2010 and since then have been active in other bands including Butcher Babies (Chris Warner) and Fake Figures (Bob Bradley). Vocalist Mike Milford is a successful artist manager for Artery Foundation and helps run Artery Recordings.
The Unknown
Scars of Tomorrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It could be.
Burn inside these lucid dreams the very ones that make you whole.
Dream inside, your withered words. And burn into the ashes.
I will not be decived these days are the only days that I have to live.
Now I see the weakness that you hide, and I see it in your eyes, burn into the ashes,
THE TRUTH is all that I strive for. These walls are closing on us all,
Tonight these walls are closing in,
The lyrics to Scars of Tomorrow's "The Unknown" are an intense exploration of the realization that time is limited and precious. The opening lines set a claustrophobic scene, with the singer feeling like the walls are closing in around them. But rather than succumbing to despair, the experience brings a newfound clarity that allows them to see more clearly than before.
Throughout the song, there's a sense of urgency to live life fully and authentically. The lines "Burn inside these lucid dreams the very ones that make you whole" and "I will not be deceived these days are the only days that I have to live" speak to the importance of pursuing one's dreams and not wasting time on anything that doesn't truly matter.
The chorus is a powerful declaration of this newfound clarity: "Now I see the weakness that you hide, and I see it in your eyes, burn into the ashes, THE TRUTH is all that I strive for." The singer is no longer willing to tolerate anything less than complete honesty and authenticity in their relationships and interactions with others.
Overall, "The Unknown" is a song about the importance of seizing the day and living life to the fullest, even in the face of darkness and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
These walls are closing in. Tonight I see so much clearer, it's more than I thought It could be.
I feel trapped and suffocated by my surroundings. However, in this moment, I am gaining more clarity about my situation than I ever thought was possible.
Burn inside these lucid dreams the very ones that make you whole.
The vivid dreams I experience are essential to my sense of completeness and self-identity.
Dream inside, your withered words. And burn into the ashes.
I am haunted by your words, which have lost their meaning and relevance, and I hope to release myself from their burden forever.
I will not be decived these days are the only days that I have to live.
I refuse to be deceived or misled into wasting any more of my precious time on things or people that are not beneficial to me.
Now I see the weakness that you hide, and I see it in your eyes, burn into the ashes, THE TRUTH is all that I strive for.
I have come to realize the weakness that you try to conceal, and I can see it clearly in your eyes. I am committed to seeking and exposing the truth in all situations.
These walls are closing on us all, Tonight these walls are closing in, Tonight I see so much clearer, it's more than I thought it could be.
We are all subjected to oppressive external forces that threaten to crush us. But tonight, I am gaining a new perspective on this situation and seeing things with greater clarity.
Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.