Their song "Piece By Piece" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie "The Punisher"[2], and the video game "Madden NFL 2005."[3] Another song "Never There (She Stabs)," was featured on the soundtrack of the movie Elektra.[4] Music videos were made for their two singles, "The Panic" and "Never There (She Stabs)."
The band released their second album titled "Strata Presents the End of the World" on July 17, 2007, featuring the singles "Stay Young" and "Cocaine (We're All Going to Hell)".
Strata went on hiatus in January 2008, when vocalist Eric Victorino left to pursue other creative endeavors. He is now in The Limousines. Guitarist Ryan Hernandez and drummer Adrian Robison both formed Beta State.
In 2015, Strata released The Sawmill Sessions EP
In July 2020, Strata came out of their hiatus and released a single titled "Around the Bend".
Current lineup
Ryan Hernandez – guitar, vocals, synthesizer, piano (2000-2008, 2014-)
Hrag Chanchanian – bass, piano (2000-2008, 2014-)
Eric Victorino – vocals, guitar (2000-2008, 2014-)
Jonathan Poso – piano, synthesizer (2017-)
Jim Leadbetter - drums (2019-)
Former members
Patrick Spain - drums (2000-2003)
Adrian Robison – drums, programming (2003-2008)
Andy Bailey – drums (2014-2019)
Piece By Piece
Strata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's split me open at the seams
And rip out everything inside
Make room for all these new machines
Sew me up and pray that I survive
A brand new me-Piece by Piece
Stay here and watch me bleed
It's a brand new me
Piece by piece
I'll leave a black tear in the sky
To help you remember what you've seen
And then I'll set this place on fire
Just fucking burn down everything
I'm made of plastic parts and wires now
I won't feel anything
Start the countdown
Just make me fall asleep
Stay here and watch me bleed
Watch me bleed
It's a brand new me
Piece by piece
My flesh, my bones, my blood
They hold my hate, my love
They hold my hate, my pain
Just take a breath and walk away
The lyrics of Strata's song "Piece by Piece" tell the story of a person who wants to rid themselves of their physical and emotional pain by becoming a "brand new" version of themselves. The idea of taking apart one's self and replacing the old parts with new machines is a metaphor for the pursuit of perfection, self-improvement, and letting go of past traumas. The desire for change is so strong that the person is willing to endure pain, both physical and emotional, to become something different.
The first verse sets the scene, describing how the person comes across "plastic parts and wires" that they use to rebuild themselves. The second verse implies that the person has suffered greatly in their life, leaving a "black tear in the sky" to mark their pain. They then decide to burn down everything, indicating that they want to start over completely. The repetition of "watch me bleed" emphasizes the suffering that the person is willing to endure to achieve their goal.
The final lines, "my flesh, my bones, my blood, they hold my hate, my love, they hold my hate, my pain, just take a breath and walk away", suggest that the person is willing to let go of their past and start fresh, but acknowledges that their experiences have shaped them in some way. The line "Just take a breath and walk away" indicates a sense of closure and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
I found these plastic parts and wires
I have found an artificial, superficial existence. Everything that makes me who I am has been removed.
Let's split me open at the seams
Let's break apart my artificial shell and expose my emptiness.
And rip out everything inside
Let's remove anything real or valuable that was once a part of me.
Make room for all these new machines
Replace my humanity with tools and machines that will fit perfectly into my now-empty shell.
Sew me up and pray that I survive
Put me back together again, but feel unsure if my robotic shell will have any life.
A brand new me-Piece by Piece
I am a new version of myself created by artificial technology. I have no connection to my previous life.
Stay here and watch me bleed
Stay here and watch as the pain of my transformation into a new being causes me to suffer.
I'll leave a black tear in the sky
I will leave a trail of destruction and chaos as I try to make sense of what has happened to me.
To help you remember what you've seen
I will never forget my past, but I want to make sure that you see the darkness and pain that my transformation has caused.
And then I'll set this place on fire
I will destroy everything around me to try to match the destruction I feel inside myself.
Just fucking burn down everything
I want to destroy everything that reminds me of who I used to be and embrace my new robotic shell fully.
I'm made of plastic parts and wires now
I am no longer a living being, but just a collection of manufactured parts and wires.
I won't feel anything
I have no physical or emotional sensations left inside me. I am numb to the world.
Start the countdown
Begin the process of destroying what remains of my former self and embracing the new me.
Just make me fall asleep
Let me escape this world and find peace in my new robotic shell.
My flesh, my bones, my blood
My former physical existence that was tied to my emotions, memories, and experiences.
They hold my hate, my love
They contained all of the positive and negative emotions I ever felt.
They hold my hate, my pain
They held onto all of the memories of trauma and pain that defined my humanity.
Just take a breath and walk away
Find a way to forget the pain inside me and move on to a new, emotionless existence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ADRIAN ROBISON, ERIC VICTORINO, HRAG CHANCHANIAN, RYAN HERNANDEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind