After two successful albums and several singles as essentially a solo artist, musician/producer and friend Kelly Shaffer joined the lineup for Armageddon. Additional live members Matt Berger, Rob Wentz and later Tyler Newman joined the band for the recording of Light it Up.
Newest member Dan Clark (Null Device, The Dark Clan) joined the band officially in Reverence '07. Dan adds additional guitar support and backup vocals.
Notes From A War
Stromkern Lyrics
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Remembered from afar
The fire and the smoke
The battle and the scars
The promise that I broke
The promise that I stole
The reason that I hope
The why I never know
Do I want to go on
Vison conjoined
In the shadow beyond
What can I say
Of the world I knew
If it isn't for me
Then it isn't for you
What is this part of me
What is this strange disease
This thing that's killing me
That I can't touch
That I can't see
It's in the manifold
It's in the path I chose
And in the bitter end
It's all that I will ever know
Features revolve
And the evidence fades
Might as well see
If I can degrade
Nothin' I've known
Could ever have shown
Me what to expect
Or how to evade
Non-trivial
Perfectly civil
For all that I know
This thing
Could be killin' you
No reason, nothin' defined
Nothin' to lose
And nothin' to find
Gotta admit
I'm a little afraid
A little uncertain
Of how to engage
A little control
Goes an awful long way
A little perspective
A little too late
But for myself
If I could explain
Somehow had told you
The measure of pain
Something to fade
And something to see
Dreamer inside
And the sleeper is me
What is this part of me
What is this strange disease
This thing that's killing me
That I can't touch
That I can't see
It's in the manifold
It's in the path I chose
And in the bitter end
It's all that I will ever know
The lyrics of Stromkern's "Notes from a War" explore the aftermath of a battle in which the singer is remembering from afar. The singer is haunted by the memories of the fire and smoke, the battle and the scars that were left behind. They are grappling with the promise that they broke and stole, and questioning the reasons behind their hope. The reason that they never know is also a riddle to them. They wonder whether they want to go on or not, and see a vision that is conjoined in the shadow beyond. The world they knew is no longer the same, and they question whether it is for them or for anyone else.
The song also delves into a part of the singer's being that they cannot understand fully. They describe it as a strange disease that is killing them but cannot be touched or seen. It is in the manifold and the path they chose, and in the bitter end, everything they will ever know. The singer struggles to make sense of this part of themselves, and it leaves them uncertain and afraid. They express a desire to explain it to someone else but acknowledge that it may be difficult.
Overall, the lyrics of the song convey a sense of loss, pain, and confusion that come with experiencing war and its aftermath. The singer is trying to come to terms with their experiences and understand themselves better in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Notes from a war
Recollections of a conflict
Remembered from afar
Remembrances of a past event
The fire and the smoke
Visual elements of a battle
The battle and the scars
Physical reminders of past conflict
The promise that I broke
An unfulfilled commitment
The promise that I stole
A broken vow
The reason that I hope
The source of optimism
The why I never know
Uncertainty about reasons
Riddle me once
First of many questions
Do I want to go on
Uncertainty about continuation
Vison conjoined
Mental images merge
In the shadow beyond
In a place outside of the light
What can I say
Difficulty in expression
Of the world I knew
The former reality
If it isn't for me
The current reality is not relevant to me
Then it isn't for you
Current reality is not relevant to you either
What is this part of me
Interrogation of inner identity
What is this strange disease
Inquiry into an unknown malady
This thing that's killing me
The affliction causing harm
That I can't touch
Inability to physically sense this harm
That I can't see
Invisibility of the damaging force
It's in the manifold
The affliction is multi-dimensional
It's in the path I chose
The course of life led to the source of hurt
And in the bitter end
At the conclusion of life
It's all that I will ever know
The painful affliction is a fundamental part of existence
Features revolve
Attributes change
And the evidence fades
Proof deteriorates
Might as well see
Examination is warranted
If I can degrade
If harm can be lessened
Nothin' I've known
A lack of prior knowledge
Could ever have shown
Nothing in the past could have predicted current circumstances
Me what to expect
Expectations were not possible
Or how to evade
Methods of avoidance were not known
Non-trivial
Complex
Perfectly civil
Pleasant in manner
For all that I know
To the extent of my knowledge
This thing
The affliction
Could be killin' you
Others may be suffering in ways unknown
No reason, nothin' defined
No explanation or clarity
Nothin' to lose
No risk to be taken
And nothin' to find
Nothing to discover
Gotta admit
Confession of uncertainty
I'm a little afraid
A small amount of fear
A little uncertain
A small amount of doubt
Of how to engage
Undecided how to proceed
A little control
Some power to affect outcomes
Goes an awful long way
A small amount of control can have a large impact
A little perspective
A shift in viewpoint
A little too late
A change occurring after optimal time
But for myself
Speaking about one's own perspective
If I could explain
The desire to elucidate
Somehow had told you
Wishing to have communicated earlier
The measure of pain
The quantity of suffering
Something to fade
A reduction of discomfort
And something to see
Discovery of something new
Dreamer inside
Imaginative aspect of self
And the sleeper is me
The aspect of self that slumbers
Contributed by Alexandra W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.