So far, TBM have released eight studio albums: Nothing and Nowhere (2002), Violet (2005), Walking With Strangers (2007), Pins and Needles (2010), Hide and Seek (2012), Superstition (2014), Under Your Spell (2017), and Diamonds (2020). They have also issued the DVD Blue (2005), the live album/DVD Show and Tell (2009), and the EPs Violet (2004), Looking Glass (2008), Imaginary Monsters (2011), and Imagica (2016).
The group originated in London, Ontario under the name Imagica, inspired from the novel "Imajica" by Clive Barker. The band's original lineup consisted of: Chibi, Rainbow, Michael Falcore, and Aslan (bass). Dank played live keyboards and O.E. joined the group on live drums. A seven-song limited edition demo was released.
In 2001, Dank left the group, and the others relocated from London to Toronto, Ontario, to begin recording. There, they recorded another limited edition demo, this time with five songs. In 2002, the band adopted the name The Birthday Massacre in order to avoid confusion with a metal band. They chose the name "The Birthday Massacre" since people were already familiar with the song of the same title. The song was later retitled as "Happy Birthday".
In July of 2002, The Birthday Massacre independently released their debut album entitled Nothing and Nowhere. In 2003, Adm joined the band on live keyboards and Rhim on drums.
On 20 July 2004, The Birthday Massacre released a nine song EP entitled Violet and at the end of the year, re-released Nothing and Nowhere with new sleeve artwork. Adm soon left thereafter to explore his own projects.
In the fall of 2004, the band was signed to Repo Records in Germany, and released a remastered and expanded version of Violet in Europe. The expanded version of Violet included four re-recorded and slightly reworked tracks from Nothing and Nowhere.
In 2005 the band signed to Metropolis Records and released Violet in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and most of South America. Owen joined on live keyboards and in August, the band began a series of international tours taking them to Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Belgium.
Also in August 2005, a DVD consisting of a video for the song "Blue" was released. It also included behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, a studio performance of "Nevermind" as well as live performances of "Violet" and "Video Kid". The centerpiece of the DVD was the Dan Ouellette-directed video for "Blue".
In early 2006, the Birthday Massacre toured North America, playing across Canada, the United States, and Mexico on their "Broken Minds" tour. They also played Europe in the summer of 2006.
In June 2007, it was announced that the band was working on a new record with Canadian producer/engineer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie (producer of many industrial acts such as Skinny Puppy), and that bass player Aslan had left the band for his own project named Aslan Osiris. Aslan was replaced on bass by former drummer O.E. .
On 11 September 2007 the band released their third album Walking With Strangers in North America, entering at #10 on the Billboard "Top Heatseekers" chart for 29 September. The album was released in Europe on 21 September and in the UK on 22 October. Walking With Strangers included the singles "Kill the Lights" and "Looking Glass". An EP, Looking Glass followed in 2008.
In spring 2009, The Birthday Massacre issued their first live album, Show and Tell. It was recorded in Hamburg, Germany in Autumn 2007. A DVD with the Hamburg show and extra video content was released later in Europe (2009) and North America (2010).
The band's fourth studio album, Pins and Needles was issued on 14 September 2010 in North America, debuting at #152 on the Billboard 200, #6 on the heatseekers, and #34 on independent. O.E. left the group and was replaced by Nate Manor.
On 9 August 2011 the band released the EP Imaginary Monsters. In 9 October 2012, TBM released the fifth studio album, Hide and Seek.
Superstition is the sixth studio album by Canadian electronic rock band The Birthday Massacre, released on November 11, 2014 through Metropolis Records. The album was funded through PledgeMusic. To promote the album, a subsequent North America tour and music video for "Beyond" followed the album's release.
Under Your Spell is the seventh studio album by Canadian electronic rock band The Birthday Massacre, released on June 9, 2017 through Metropolis Records. The album was funded, once again, through PledgeMusic.
Official site: www.thebirthdaymassacre.com
Diaries
The Birthday Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The light moves out of view
I'll wait for you
We'll drive where we always do
Over the roads like the blood in our veins
Lines that were broken are now the same
It feels so familiar like nothing has changed
When we were strangers
I would believe I was walking in my sleep
We were strangers
When I believed I could wake up from this dream
Nights go by
Hours pass and moonlight dies
Close your eyes
You're dreaming and so am I
You know I can't stay here and I won't pretend
All that begins never comes to an end
It felt so familiar, it's all that remains
I still remember
When we were strangers
I would believe I was walking in my sleep
We were strangers
When I believed I could wake up from this dream
As life moves on
I know that time will take you away
And tear us apart
And when you're gone
I'll wake up with a hand on my heart
And a foot in my grave
The Birthday Massacre's song "Diaries" speaks about the bittersweet memories of two people who were strangers before they met, and now their lives are intertwined with each other. The singer reminisces the days when they first met, feeling like they were in a dream walking in their sleep. The driving lines of the song evoke a sense of freedom and a feeling of being lost and found at the same time. The lines that were broken are now the same, and the familiarity of it all is like nothing has changed.
As the song progresses, the sense of impending doom starts to set in, and the singer acknowledges that time will take the person they love away, tearing them apart. The idea of being alone with a hand on their heart and a foot in their grave is melancholic yet beautiful. The song delves into the complexities of human relationships and how people come into our lives like strangers and become an essential part of our existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Away from you
Departure from whom I long for
The light moves out of view
Obscurity swallows my vision
I'll wait for you
Patience to meet your presence again
We'll drive where we always do
We'll travel the familiar path
Over the roads like the blood in our veins
Traveling on paths we're accustomed to
Lines that were broken are now the same
Mended brokenness granting familiarity
It feels so familiar like nothing has changed
The feeling of unchanged familiarity
I still remember
Recollection of memories we shared
When we were strangers
A past when we were unacquainted
I would believe I was walking in my sleep
The illusion of walking in a dream state
Nights go by
The passing of time during the nocturnal hours
Hours pass and moonlight dies
Time moves forward as moonlight fades away
Close your eyes
The directive of closing eyelids
You're dreaming and so am I
Both of us in a dream state
You know I can't stay here and I won't pretend
I can't remain here any longer without false pretense
All that begins never comes to an end
All things initiated are ongoing
It felt so familiar, it's all that remains
That residual sense of familiarity
As life moves on
Time flows and life changes
I know that time will take you away
Time will separate us eventually
And tear us apart
Brokenness inflicted by time's passage
And when you're gone
When you depart from me
I'll wake up with a hand on my heart
I'll revive with my hand over my heart
And a foot in my grave
With a sense of departure as though I am standing at the gates of death
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL HANMER, MICHAEL RAINBOW, SARA TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Izzie Chan
I love this album, and I love Chibi's voice. So enchanting!
Laineen Pate
the best tbm album
Izzie Chan
my most favorite band ever, and I love Chibi's voice~
MK Storyland
Great song! It inspires me with one of my stories that I'm writing.
Grinning Green
Also same. XD
Phersephone McKenzie
MK Storyland Same :P
Sam
Voz mais linda de todas, amo demais a Sara
Daniel Holmes
This song is, for me, one of the reasons why no other band comes close.
Morbid
Most epic band ever.
Henrik Davidsen
My favourite BM song. Truly amazing on all levels!