Devolve (EP) - 1991
Churn - 1993
Killjoy - 1995
Shihad - 1996
Blue Light Disco (EP) - 1998
The General Electric - 1999
Alive (EP) - 2004
Love is the New Hate - 2005
Beautiful Machine - 2008
Ignite - 2010
FVEY - 2014
Old Gods - 2021
Pacifier - 2002 (as "Pacifier")
Live - 2003 (as "Pacifier")
In the course of their career, Shihad has toured with and supported rock acts such as Faith No More, Filter, Motörhead, Metallica, AC/DC, Ash, Silverchair and Fu Manchu, and has a reputation for energetic and powerful live performances. Despite a huge following in New Zealand and Australia, Shihad has never attained significant mainstream success outside of Australasia.
http://www.shihad.com/ - Shihad's official site.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shihad - Shihad's info on Wikipedia
http://shihadwiki.com/ - A Shihad Knowledge Base Wiki
Fracture
Shihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you been scratching your name deep in us
we're nothing save
lets just say...distracted
when questioned it's delay or defuse
beaten down again
it's nothing new
i'd bring you with me
but i'm face to face with this silicon wall
hold the truth like steel
don't want to lose what i feel
when every breath seems real
pump me full of happy medium
we want something more
we the brighter, faster, harder generation
are coming knocking at your door
hacking down your door
i know we can make it
i know that if we try
they'll fall
i just can't take it any more
another, another with nothing apart
come back along the way
been erasing your name out of me
now i'm not safe
let's just say i'm free
mould our thoughts like clay
then send us off on our way
this is the price we pay for our fear
Fracture, by Shihad, is a complex and thought-provoking song that seems to be discussing the frightening speed of technological advancement and the way that humans are losing themselves in the frenzy. The lyrics speak of scratching your name deep in us, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the way that technology has become such a fundamental part of our lives that it is almost like an appendage. The line "we're nothing save let's just say...distracted" seems to be commenting on the way that our constant engagement with technology has left us somewhat numb to the world around us. We are so caught up in our screens and our devices that we are failing to connect with one another in a meaningful way.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, with its beat-heavy backdrop contrasting with the somewhat melancholy lyrics. The idea of holding onto truth like steel, fearing the loss of what we feel, is an evocative image that seems to be alluding to the idea that technological advancement is paralyzing us. We're so afraid of losing what we have that we're unwilling to move on and try new things. The idea of being pumped full of a happy medium is yet another example of the way that humans are becoming more machine-like, rather than retaining their natural instincts and tendencies.
The final lyrics of the song seem to be suggesting that the price we pay for our fear is a loss of self. We are molded like clay by technology, sent on our way into a world that is increasingly dominated by algorithms and screens. Without a sense of who we truly are, we are vulnerable to becoming nothing more than automatons. Fracture is a powerful, challenging song that makes us think deeply about the way that technology is changing us as a species.
Line by Line Meaning
all along the way
Throughout this journey or experience
you been scratching your name deep in us
You have been leaving a lasting impression on us
we're nothing save
We are nothing but
lets just say...distracted
We are just, let's say, preoccupied or not fully focused
when questioned it's delay or defuse
When asked, it's either to postpone or to diffuse the situation
beaten down again
We have been defeated once again
it's nothing new
This is not a new experience or feeling
i'd bring you with me
If you were like me or shared my humanity,
if you were human too
then I would bring you along
but i'm face to face with this silicon wall
However, I am confronted with this barrier of technology
hold the truth like steel
We should hold onto the truth tightly, unflinching
don't want to lose what i feel
We don't want to lose or compromise our feelings
when every breath seems real
When every moment or experience feels authentic
pump me full of happy medium
We long for a feeling or state of balance
we want something more
We desire something greater
we the brighter, faster, harder generation
We are the optimistic, speedy, and tougher generation
are coming knocking at your door
We are approaching and demanding attention
hacking down your door
We are aggressively breaking through barriers
i know we can make it
I am confident that we can succeed
i know that if we try
I believe that if we make an attempt,
they'll fall
Our obstacles or oppressors will collapse
i just can't take it any more
I have reached my limit
another, another with nothing apart
Another and another, all with no distinct difference
come back along the way
Let's revisit some earlier points in our journey
been erasing your name out of me
We've been removing your influence or memory from us
now i'm not safe
Now, I feel vulnerable or exposed
let's just say i'm free
Let's just say, I'm liberated or emancipated
mould our thoughts like clay
Our thoughts can be shaped, molded like clay
then send us off on our way
Afterward, let us depart on our journey
this is the price we pay for our fear
This is the cost we pay for being afraid
Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ashy Hess
Holy crap the breakdown at the end is the heaviest I’ve ever heard from these guys. Please never take this down I beg you