The band consists of vocalist Dan Marsala, lead guitarist Ryan Phillips, rhythm guitarist and back up vocalist Philip Sneed, bassist Adam Russell and drummer Josh Wills. Initially named Big Blue Monkey, they changed their name to Story of the Year in 2002 because a blues group of the same name had already existed.
It would not be until eight years after forming that Story of the Year saw its first piece of commercial success in its major label debut, Page Avenue, containing the popular singles "Until the Day I Die" and "Anthem of Our Dying Day". A second album, In the Wake of Determination, followed in 2005, but did not achieve the success of its predecessor. The band has returned with their third album The Black Swan, their first on Epitaph Records, which was released on April 22, 2008.
The band toured with Linkin Park on the Meteora World Tour in 2004 along with P.O.D. and Hoobastank.
The band's fourth, The Constant, was released on February 16, 2010 through Epitaph Records.
On March 8, 2013 it was announced that the band are planning on a world tour.
In the Shadows
Story of the Year Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And collect black eyes just to prove it
Still we pass by just like strangers
And we speak just like the closest enemies
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can fall into the night unscarred
Woah, in the shadows of our life
Somehow my words are rendered useless
Still I pull my lip down to my chest
Just to show you how my jaw is
Tired from waiting to say the things that you should hear (you should hear)
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can fall into the night unscarred
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can never let it go this far
After all we're still the same
These empty promises seem to never change
there's a smile on my face and it's 2:55 AM
and this cramp in my wrist puts me back asleep till it all comes around again
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can fall into the night unscarred
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can never let it go this far
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can fall into the night unscarred
Woah, in the shadows of our life
We can never let it go this far
The lyrics of Story of the Year's "In the Shadows" speak about a strained and uncomfortable relationship between two people who seem to be close but also distant. They both go through hardships and pain but keep it hidden from each other, almost as if they are strangers passing by. They seem to communicate with each other like enemies, using closed fists to emphasize their emotions. The "shadows" in the lyrics can be seen as a metaphor for the hidden aspects of their lives and emotions that they don't show to each other.
The lyrics suggest that they are unwilling to let their relationship deteriorate any further and that they are aware of the need to salvage it before they reach a point of no return. The lines "We can never let it go this far" stress the importance of not allowing their relationship to worsen to a point where it becomes irreparable. The lyrics also touch on the issue of unfulfilled promises and the difficulty of expressing oneself.
Overall, the song seems to be a call to action for the two individuals to acknowledge their difficulties and work towards improving their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
We both take the hardest punches
We endure the most painful experiences
And collect black eyes just to prove it
We bear the physical wounds as a testament to our resilience
Still we pass by just like strangers
Despite our shared struggles, we interact as if we don't know each other
And we speak just like the closest enemies
Our words are filled with animosity, as if we are archenemies
Woah, in the shadows of our life
During the darkest moments of our existence
We can fall into the night unscarred
We can descend into the abyss without any visible markings
We can never let it go this far
We must not allow things to deteriorate beyond redemption
Somehow my words are rendered useless
My attempts at communication are futile
Still I pull my lip down to my chest
Despite this, I physically strain to express myself
Just to show you how my jaw is
An attempt to demonstrate the physical toll taken by our situation
Tired from waiting to say the things that you should hear (you should hear)
I am exhausted from holding back the words that need to be said
After all we're still the same
Overall, nothing has changed between us
These empty promises seem to never change
The pledges we make to each other are never fulfilled
there's a smile on my face and it's 2:55 AM
Even in the early hours of the morning, I maintain a facade of happiness
and this cramp in my wrist puts me back asleep till it all comes around again
A physical symptom of the emotional pain I endure, which lulls me into a state of unconsciousness until the cycle repeats itself
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
An expression of the intensity of the emotions involved
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
The same sentiment, reinforced
WITH A CLOSED FIST!
And once more, with even greater emphasis
Woah, in the shadows of our life
A repetition of the earlier sentiment
We can fall into the night unscarred
An echo of the earlier line
Woah, in the shadows of our life
The conclusion to the song, returning to the central message
We can never let it go this far
The reminder to take action before it's too late
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM RUSSELL, DAN MARSALA, JOSHUA WILLS, PHILLIP SNEED, RYAN PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind