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)
The New National Anthem
Strata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the dawn's early light
We get 'em young,
Give 'em guns
And ship 'em off to fight.
While the rocket's red glare
Is keeping everyone scared
They say, "just relax
And you can sit back and watch the war on your screen."
The country's run by lunatics,
They're picking up their pens,
Writing themselves into Revelation,
"This is how it's gonna end!"
Well, I tried hard to bite my tongue,
Like a good American
But they recruited my little brother
And they're shipping off my friends.
Broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight,
You know those who stand to gain
Are not the ones who sacrifice -
Watching bombs burst in air
From a comfortable chair,
They just say, "in God we trust,
And God trusts in greed,
Yeah as long as they never show real blood on TV."
I'm not sorry if this makes you mad,
In fact I hope this wakes you up
Cause you'll never see what's going on with your eyes so tightly shut!
There are too many unanswered questions,
From the towers in New York
To the lies leading up to another corporate sponsored war
Well I'll support the troops by asking what they're really fighting for
And I think that's more patriotic than flying a flag from my front porch.
Come on, let's go out and start a fight!
Cause you know two wrongs always make a right.
Come on, let's go out and start a fight!
Cause you know two wrongs never make a right.
In Strata’s song “The New National Anthem,” the lyrics speak about the unfortunate reality of America’s involvement in warfare. Focused on the recruitment of young soldiers, the song highlights the manipulation of the government in recruiting young men and women to fight for a cause that remains unclear. One major theme is the irony in singing the national anthem while simultaneously engaging in war. The song discusses how the government and media manipulate the public into believing that the war is good for the country, yet the young people who fight in these wars are the ones who suffer the most. Through lines like “give ‘em guns and ship ‘em off to fight,” Strata depicts the cruel reality of the recruitment process.
The song also explores the corruption and greed within the government. The chorus, which includes “they just say in God we trust, and God trusts in greed,” highlights how the government uses religion to justify serving themselves and their own interests. Strata implies that the government is prioritizing their own greed over the soldiers' lives and the well-being of the country. The song’s lyrics unapologetically point out the manipulation of the government and the bravery and courage of individuals who speak against it. The line “I’m not sorry if this makes you mad, in fact, I hope this wakes you up” is a direct plea to listeners to open their eyes to the injustice and speak up against it.
Line by Line Meaning
O' Say, can you see?
Can you see what's happening?
By the dawn's early light
In the early stages of this issue.
We get 'em young,
Recruiting young men and women.
Give 'em guns
Supplying them with weapons.
And ship 'em off to fight.
Sending them off to a war zone.
While the rocket's red glare
In the midst of combat.
Is keeping everyone scared
Maintaining fear among the population.
They say, "just relax
Those in power try to calm the public.
Put your trust in me
Placing faith in their leadership.
And you can sit back and watch the war on your screen."
Encouraging a passive response to war.
The country's run by lunatics,
The nation is led by people who are insane.
They're picking up their pens,
Signing declarations of war and other official documents.
Writing themselves into Revelation,
Predicting the apocalypse and fulfilling it through their actions.
"This is how it's gonna end!"
This is the inevitable outcome of their decisions and actions.
Well, I tried hard to bite my tongue,
I tried to remain silent and not speak out.
Like a good American
Behaving in a way that is considered patriotic.
But they recruited my little brother
But my family member was drafted to fight.
And they're shipping off my friends.
And my friends are also being sent to war.
Broad stripes and bright stars
The symbol of the American flag.
Through the perilous fight,
Throughout the dangerous conflict.
You know those who stand to gain
The ones who will benefit from this situation.
Are not the ones who sacrifice -
They are not the ones who are risking their lives.
Watching bombs burst in air
Watching destructive events from afar.
From a comfortable chair,
Viewing from a safe and comfortable place.
They just say, "in God we trust,
Using God as a justification for their actions.
And God trusts in greed,
Believing that their greed is divinely justified.
Yeah as long as they never show real blood on TV."
As long as the public is shielded from the true consequences of war.
I'm not sorry if this makes you mad,
I am unapologetic if this statement angers you.
In fact I hope this wakes you up
I hope this statement inspires you to action.
Cause you'll never see what's going on with your eyes so tightly shut!
If you remain ignorant, you will never understand what is happening.
There are too many unanswered questions,
There are many unresolved issues that need answers.
From the towers in New York
Starting with the 9/11 terrorist attack.
To the lies leading up to another corporate sponsored war
To the dishonest motives behind corporate-funded wars.
Well I'll support the troops by asking what they're really fighting for
I will show my support for the military by questioning their mission.
And I think that's more patriotic than flying a flag from my front porch.
I believe that critical thinking and civic engagement is more patriotic than a passive display of patriotism.
Come on, let's go out and start a fight!
Let's take action and fight back.
Cause you know two wrongs always make a right.
This is a sarcastic statement implying that violence is not the answer.
Come on, let's go out and start a fight!
Let's take action and fight back.
Cause you know two wrongs never make a right.
Reiterating the message that violence is not the answer.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ADRIAN ROBISON, ERIC VICTORINO, HRAG CHANCHANIAN, RYAN HERNANDEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind