Even though the four metallers have different origins (Lithuanian, German, Portuguese and Italian), they were born and raised in Brazil and started activities in 2001 the sunny beach of Santos with the release of an independent EP, followed by a national tour that included opening for bands like Nightwish and Primal Fear.
The hype generated about the band created very high expectations for their official debut full length Theatre of Shadows, released in 2006, an instant national success. They were chosen to support Helloween in their Brazilian tour in 2006. Since then, they have been on the road frequently, having toured Spain twice, USA five times and packed venues in Brazil. Other artists they have performed with are Iron Maiden, Kittie, Divine Heresy, Daath, Temple of Brutality (featuring David Ellefson of Megadeth) and Sepultura.
August 2009 saw the release of Dare to Dream, Shadowside's second album, in Brazil only. The band took a big risk and dared to go for a raw and direct sound. The idea was immediately accepted and embraced by the fans and the album immediately hit position 4 in the Roadie Crew album charts (the most important Brazilian Metal magazine), only below Heaven and Hell, Iron Maiden and Blaze Bayley.
Shadowside is currently being described by the media as “the best band Brazilian band in activity” (Novo Metal website) and as the band that rescued attitude in Rock music (Roadie Crew Magazine). Dare to Dream also received high praise, being picked album of the year by the vast majority of the press in Brazil, top 3 albums by nearly every website and magazine in the country, voted by readers of the Portuguese magazine Horns Up! as the best Brazilian band and by readers of Roadie Crew as best female singer and top 3 overall, top 3 albums, top 3 bands, top 10 guitarists and top 10 live concerts.
Dare to Dream was released worldwide released in June 2010. The rising stars of the Brazilian Metal and Rock music scenes, Shadowside's last album title reflects what they always knew they should do: Dare to Dream. The band said goodbye to 2010 after an almost 2 months long tour with legendary rock band W.A.S.P. through Europe and entered the studio again in early 2011 to record new material, titled Inner Monster Out produced and mixed by Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, Evergrey, Dimmu Borgir, Bring me the Horizon and many more). The raw energy on all the 11 tracks show a band that are not afraid to try and grow even more mature after every release, despite the young average age – late 20's – of the band members.
Nation Hollow Mind
Shadowside Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those monsters, they drag him, his belt is still tied
Be sick, be shocked, cry, call out his name
You pretend life is just a game
Cry and try to realize
You cannot deny
Let's change our name right now
To Nation Hollow Mind
Tell me what's going on
The party is running wild
Day after the kid died
How could you let it go?
Party nation brings the fun your way
Empty and shallow joy all of the day
Brainwashed people are everywhere
If it's not good news than they just don't care
Cry and try to understand
This won't ever end
Let's change our name right now
To Nation Hollow Mind
Tell me what's going on
The party is running wild
Day after the kid died
How could you let it go?
Try to educate your mind
What will you become without respect?
The lyrics to Shadowside's song "Nation Hollow Mind" describe the horror and shock of witnessing the death of a young person, possibly at the hands of others, and the apathy and superficiality of those around them who continue to party and celebrate without acknowledging the tragedy. The singer urges listeners to confront their emotions, to cry and try to understand what has happened and to recognize the prevalence of brainwashing and hollow pleasures in their society. The repeated refrain of "Let's change our name right now to Nation Hollow Mind" suggests a call to action, an invitation to reject the shallow and selfish values of their culture and instead embrace a deeper, more respectful way of living.
Overall, the song paints a bleak and ominous picture of a society that has lost touch with its humanity, where empty pleasures and mindless entertainment have eclipsed true compassion and empathy. The image of the party people dancing and celebrating even in the face of tragedy is a powerful indictment of the way we often prioritize our own enjoyment over the suffering of others, while the plea to "educate your mind" and "become without respect" offers a glimmer of hope, a chance to break free from the oppressive influence of the "Nation Hollow Mind."
Line by Line Meaning
Watch the kid die and be horrified
Witness the death of an innocent child and feel the extreme shock and sadness
Those monsters, they drag him, his belt is still tied
See evil beings forcefully dragging the child's dead body, with his clothing still intact
Be sick, be shocked, cry, call out his name
Feel physically ill, extremely surprised, and cry out for the child who has passed
You pretend life is just a game
You act as if life holds no value and its tragedies are insignificant
Cry and try to realize
Weep and attempt to comprehend the reality of the situation
You cannot deny
You cannot ignore or disbelieve the fact that a child has been killed
Let's change our name right now
It's time to make a drastic change that will affect our identity
To Nation Hollow Mind
We have become a nation of unfeeling emptiness
Tell me what's going on
Explain the current situation and the behaviors that led to it
The party is running wild
People are indulging in frivolous pleasures, ignoring their responsibilities
Day after the kid died
Even after the child's death, people continue to act irresponsibly and without care
How could you let it go?
Why have you allowed this destructive behavior to continue, especially after such a tragedy?
Party nation brings the fun your way
A society that prioritizes pleasure and indulgence over anything else
Empty and shallow joy all of the day
Superficial and meaningless pleasures that fill people's daily lives
Brainwashed people are everywhere
Individuals who have been manipulated into thinking and acting a certain way are abundant
If it's not good news than they just don't care
People only pay attention to what makes them feel good and disregard anything that might cause them emotional discomfort
Cry and try to understand
Express your emotions and attempt to grasp the situation's complexity
This won't ever end
Unfortunately, this harmful behavior and way of thinking will continue indefinitely
Try to educate your mind
Make an effort to improve your knowledge and understanding
What will you become without respect?
What kind of person will you be if you don't show respect for life and its value?
Contributed by Tyler K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.