October 24, 2005 marked the release of the band's first full-length album,The Silvery Image . Response to the album was so good that the band was signed to Nightmare Records and followed up with the release of their next album, A Great Divide, in March 2007. This effort was more diverse in every sense of the word: long, complicated passages are offset by simpler and shorter pieces; straightforward rhythms alongside super-imposing odd time meters; microtonal clusters and just intonation works around and between 12TET. Listeners will note a balance and interplay of heavy riffs, lush and delicate as well as dissonant/energetic orchestral parts, classic prog and a tasteful use of pastiche. The album hit the top 2007 prog metal album charts on websites such as USA Progressive Music, ProgPalaceRadio.com, and Beyond Ear Candy.
To further their goal to develop and perfect their fusion of varied musical inspirations and influences, Suspyre has recorded a third album, When Time Fades… which will be released on Sensory Records on September 30, 2008. This album is a groovier piece of art with a bit more metallic crunch, and even more variety in the song styles, including an acoustic piece. No one can accuse this band of being formulaic in their composing. When Time Fades… has set the bar even higher than the band's previous albums, not only in music creation but also in the artwork done by Gustavo Sazes (Firewind, Dark Empire, Mystic Prophecy) , and featured guest artists that include drummer Charlie Zeleny (Behold the Arctopus, Blotted Science, Jordan Rudess), and female vocalist Trisha O'Keefe (Amaran's Plight).
Current members
Gregg Rossetti: Guitar, MIDI sequencing, Alto/Tenor saxophone, Viola da Gamba, Chapman stick
Rich Skibinsky: Guitar, MIDI sequencing
Clay Barton: Vocals
Andrew Distabile: Bass
April Sese: Keyboards
Gabe Marshall: drums
Past members
Kevin O'Hara: Vocals
Raffaele Gerace: Vocals
Kirk Schwenkler: Bass
Chris Myers: Drums
Sam Paulicelli: Drums and percussion
Let Freedom Ring
Suspyre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Resting on this frame of lies
For purple mountain majesties
God has turned his back on thee
Bleeding for the stars and stripes
Watching as the heart of it all dies
Far from the land of the free
Liberty is a poor excuse
For your government abuse
Bleeding for the stars and stripes
Watching as the heart of it all dies
Feel the Red, White, and Blue
As the colors melt in you
Passion and spirit gone
But still we carry on (Carry on)
We pledge the opportunity
While stealing freedom of speech
This lost presidential debate
Leading the nation of hate
Now let justice take heed
We've lost our way
We are a sacrificial moment of our yesterdays
Feel the Red, White, and Blue
As the colors melt in you
Passion and spirit gone
But still we carry on (Carry on)
Guitar Solo: Rich
Terror wages a war on us
To the finder is the keeper
The former stands on the head of state
And keps telling us we're safer
Dangerous times descend on us all
The future show of mutiny
O beautiful American dream
Missing form sea to shining sea
Acoustic Guitar Solo: Gregg
Guitar Solos: Rich/Gregg
Bleedin for the stars and stripes
Watching as the heart of it all dies
Feel the Red, White, and Blue
As the colors melt in you
Passion and spirit gone
But still we carry on (Carry on)
The lyrics of Suspyre's song "Let Freedom Ring" are a commentary on the current state of American politics and society. The opening line references "O, beautiful for spacious skies" from America the Beautiful, but then takes a turn by stating that this beauty rests on a "frame of lies." The mountains may be majestic, but the idea that God is watching over America has been abandoned. The lyrics then become more pointed, discussing how America is bleeding for the stars and stripes, but watching as the heart of it all dies. The country seems attached to a world of debris and far from being the land of the free. The word "liberty" is used, but it's said to be nothing but a poor excuse for the government's abuse of power.
The song goes on to talk about how the colors of the American flag are melting away, representing the loss of passion and spirit. The idea of the American dream is mentioned, but the song suggests that it's missing, from sea to shining sea. The lyrics touch on issues like the government stealing freedom of speech, a lost presidential debate, and how America is now leading a nation of hate. There's even a reference to terrorism waging a war on the United States.
Despite all of these dire observations, the song ultimately ends on a note of resilience. The chorus repeats the phrase "We carry on," a reminder that even though things may be difficult, Americans are still pushing forward and continuing to fight for their version of freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
O, beautiful for spacious skies
The United States is a beautiful country with vast open spaces.
Resting on this frame of lies
However, the country's foundation is built on lies and deceit.
For purple mountain majesties
Despite this, the country still has majestic mountains colored in purple.
God has turned his back on thee
The belief in God and religion is slowly fading away from the country.
Bleeding for the stars and stripes
People are fighting and dying for their country and flag.
Watching as the heart of it all dies
However, they are witnessing the destruction of the core values and principles of their country.
Attached to the world of debris
People are living among the ruins of their former world, struggling to survive.
Far from the land of the free
They are far from experiencing true freedom in their country.
Liberty is a poor excuse
The excuse of freedom and liberty is often used to justify governmental abuse of power.
For your government abuse
The government is abusing their power at the cost of people's freedom and liberty.
Feel the Red, White, and Blue
The patriotic colors of the American flag are felt strongly.
As the colors melt in you
However, people's patriotism is slowly fading away.
Passion and spirit gone
They have lost their passion and spirit to fight for their country and its values.
But still we carry on (Carry on)
Nevertheless, they are continuing to move forward with hope.
We pledge the opportunity
The government promises equal opportunities for all.
While stealing freedom of speech
However, at the same time, they are suppressing freedom of speech.
This lost presidential debate
The current presidential debate is filled with confusion and chaos.
Leading the nation of hate
The country is being led with hate and division.
Now let justice take heed
It's time for justice to prevail and be taken seriously.
We've lost our way
The country has lost its true path and direction.
We are a sacrificial moment of our yesterdays
They are sacrificing their present and future for the memory of the past.
Terror wages a war on us
The country is under attack from terrorism.
To the finder is the keeper
Those who find power keep it for themselves.
The former stands on the head of state
Former leaders are still in control and influencing the current leader.
And keeps telling us we're safer
They are lying to people about their safety to maintain their power.
Dangerous times descend on us all
The future seems uncertain and scary for everyone.
The future show of mutiny
A future of rebellion and civil unrest is looming.
O beautiful American dream
The American dream of freedom and opportunity is still beautiful and desirable.
Missing from sea to shining sea
However, it is missing in many parts of the country, from coast to coast.
Bleedin for the stars and stripes
People are still fighting and dying for their country and flag, despite the challenges.
Watching as the heart of it all dies
However, they are still witnessing the destruction of their country's core values.
Feel the Red, White, and Blue
The patriotic colors of the American flag are still felt strongly.
As the colors melt in you
But, they are slowly losing their patriotism.
Passion and spirit gone
Their passion and spirit to fight for their country's values are still lost.
But still we carry on (Carry on)
Nevertheless, they are still moving forward with hope.
Contributed by Sarah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.