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
Play With Fire
The Birthday Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burns like your wanting eyes
The rain is away
And we say
When we say
We will play with fire
We will play with fire
And every night the Red Light will burn like your eyes
Our time is never, 'cause we'll live forever
We will play with fire
We will play with fire
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
We will play with fire
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
The Birthday Massacre's song "Play With Fire" is a dark and evocative track that paints a vivid image of a place where desire and danger collide. The opening line of the song describes a "house of red light," which immediately sets a foreboding and unsettling tone. The image of the house burning in red light is suggestive of both passion and risk, like a flame that could consume everything in its path. The next lines refer to "your wanting eyes," which further emphasizes the theme of desire and longing. The rain being away could suggest the absence of any inhibitions or consequences, allowing for reckless behavior.
The chorus of "Play With Fire" repeats the phrase "We will play with fire," reinforcing the idea that the characters in the song are willing to embrace risk and danger in the pursuit of their desires. The reference to the Red Light burning "every night" suggests a lifestyle or pattern of behavior that is sustained over time. It's almost like a ritual, with the Red Light serving as a constant, hypnotic backdrop to the singer's self-destructive urges. The lines "Our time is never, 'cause we'll live forever" suggest a sense of immortality or invincibility that comes with this kind of behavior. The characters in the song seem to feel that they can't be touched, that they're somehow beyond harm.
Overall, "Play With Fire" is a haunting and atmospheric song that captures the allure of risk-taking and the ecstasy of surrendering to one's darkest impulses. It deals with themes of passion, rebellion, and self-destruction, and does so with a combination of lyrical intensity and musical innovation that is uniquely The Birthday Massacre.
Line by Line Meaning
A house of red light
The setting is in a house filled with red light, which symbolizes passion and desire.
Burns like your wanting eyes
The intense red light burns like the eyes of the person who desires their object of affection.
The rain is away
The rain has stopped, indicating that the time is right for their passionate pursuits.
And we say
As a group, they agree to engage in their passionate desires.
When we say
They utter their agreement to act on their passions.
We will play with fire
They agree to engage in their desires and take risks despite the potential consequences.
And every night the Red Light will burn like your eyes
Every time they engage in their passion, the red light will remind them of the burning desire in their eyes.
Our time is never, 'cause we'll live forever
They believe that their passion and love will last forever, and therefore they have all the time in the world to play with fire.
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
They repeat their agreement to engage in their desires and take risks, emphasizing the potential danger of playing with fire.
We will play with fire
They continue to affirm their willingness to take risks and explore their passions without fear of the consequences.
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
They repeat their agreement to engage in their desires and take risks, emphasizing the potential danger of playing with fire.
We will play with fire (fire [x3])
They repeat their agreement to engage in their desires and take risks, emphasizing the potential danger of playing with fire.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON CUNNINGHAM, MICHAEL RAINBOW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mizu0816
Most underrated band with the most touching music ever 💜🖤🖤
@AntonioBrewer-lj8vc
Damn your fkn beautiful too though
@jameseckl6243
Six years later & this still rocks.
@bryanlenihan5012
I wish more bands did this where they let fans create MV it's another thing TBM did that separate them from other bands
@woochyna
18 years and this band still rocks.
@ValeriaSP92
And in 20 years you'll be here to reafirm the same ;)
@crestfallenknight7983
This song is so good
@elliewadmore7612
Put a like if you love this song and think this band rocks!🖤🤘
@throughchasm6270
Still an incredible band... Once in a while I'll return to hear their songs.
They remind me of a dead friend of mine that long ago introduced me to this music.
It's heavy for me to hear, the songs relate to who she was rather deeply.
@RobPanico
I'm so sorry for your loss. This is the beautiful power of music and their music is particularly nostalgic and magical.