With the release of the seminal Telemetry of a Fallen Angel (existing in a few incarnations prior to Dancing Ferret Discs' version in 1997), The Crüxshadows enjoyed their first defining moment courtesy of the infinitely catchy dance floor anthem "Marilyn My Bitterness." With additional strong releases including The Mystery of the Whisper (1999), Until the Voices Fade (1999) and Paradox Addendum (2000) backed by lengthy tours, The Crüxshadows were able to build a legion of diversified fans consisting of everything from jarheads to gamers to anime & role playing enthusiasts.
While the lineup has indeed changed over the years, one constant has remained the same; Rogue, the vocalist, leader and mastermind of The Crüxshadows has directed his troupe towards an unconventional and lofty goal. "I want to change the world with music, I want people to find hope within themselves. I want them to know that anything is possible if you believe and follow through. I think that music has the power to inspire and move people to do amazing things" he muses. He is not alone in his belief. Their fans seem to believe it too. The bands motto "live love be believe" is everywhere, and many of their supporters will tell you that the lyrics have changed their lives in some way. This isn't exactly typical for a band most often identified as gothic or dark-wave. The Crüxshadows are not concerned. "Goth isn't about being a stereotype" the front-man complains, "its about being who you want to be... about not running from yourself or your emotions." The charismatic singer/songwriter/producer understands an audience and tends to deliver his dramatic croon right in their laps. Nothing they do is exactly new, but how they do it is completely unique. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, the stage show is dynamic and entertaining, and the music is hooky and inspired by pop. But pop it is not. It is a hybrid music that exists in a place just left of everyday, and just right of never-ever.
The band has maintained a surprising consistency despite the personnel turnovers that have plagued it in recent years. Jessica Lackey, a singer/dancer who married Rogue in 2007, and keyboardist Jen Jawidzik, who was once Rogue and Jessica's roommate, have stuck with it for the better part of the last decade. "When we have to find someone new, I feel like sometimes they don't understand all the hard work that was necessary for us to get to that point" Jessica states flatly, "It is not difficult to under-appreciate everything the band has accomplished, so people move on because they have not invested the same energy into the project." While the shows and the music continues to get better, that magically 'permanent' combination of personalities has continued to elude them. The band has had a difficult time keeping guitar players and dancers in particular, but has seen turnover in almost every position. These days Crüxshadows has Rogue backed by a mostly female band of new wave latex clad gypsies, and boasts an original mix of violins, dancers, guitars, and electronics. Tight and well-practiced, the seven performers interact on stage with clockwork like precision. The audience is captivated. Some of them scream. Some of them sing along. A few others stare at the stage dumbfounded.
Although The Crüxshadows maintain a strong fan base in their native United States, their most perceptible success seems to be focused in Europe. It is not uncommon for the band to share stages with the likes of Ladytron, Prodigy, The Cure, or even Bjork. The 2002 Tears EP topped the Deutsche Alternative Charts for months, a practice that has continued with all subsequent releases soaring to the DAC's Top 10. "I don't think we're actually more popular there (In Europe)" says Rogue, "It just seems like there is more access to our fans. What we do has more acceptance by the powers that be. In America it feels like all of our victories are covered up or are unacknowledged by the media." 2002 also saw the release of their fifth full-length album Wishfire; a fan favorite that featured the Euro hit "Tears" and a number of other dark dance mainstays. Similarly the follow-up album Ethernaut (released in 2003) brought the band what has become one of its most notable tracks, the European club anthem entitled "Winterborn (This Sacrifice)."
Remixes and special versions of songs have kept there fans satiated when no new traditional album lay on the horizon. In 2004 Fortress In Flames was released featuring a cover by the popular American artist Chad Michael Ward. There The Crüxshadows' material was remixed by peers like the Dutch legends Clan of Xymox and German industrial giants In Strict Confidence. Each year has seen some new disc from the band, and they come in a variety of formats. The year 2005 witnessed the release of their first DVD Shadowbox. The DVD is highlighted by a 2004 performance before a rabid crowd of 15,000 at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig Germany, where the ‘call and response' raw energy the band delves out is served right back by an adoring audience.
In 2006 the band would seem to breakaway from their underground moniker. The addictive single "Sophia" impressively debuted on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Charts in September at position #1, replacing Beyoncé in the top spot while landing #7 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart. "We couldn't believe it, doors began to open. It was as if we couldn't be ignored anymore, after a decade and a half we seemed to be getting some respect. The local news in Florida even put us on the nightly news to get our take on the whole thing", the frontman recalls. The following year was pivotal for The Crüxshadows; in May the band successfully toured China performing at the Midi Open-Air Festival in Beijing, in the presence of many thousands of new fans. Later that year the band released the highly anticipated Dreamcypher album that contained yet another Billboard #1 Dance Single with the song "Birthday." This time the band climbed into the #2 spot on the Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart. With Dreamcypher, The Crüxshadows melded their fondness for 1980s Synth Pop/New Romantic sounds with modern Euro dance nuances into perfection. Dreamcypher joins the aforementioned shimmering "Sophia" and "Birthday" with the guitar fronted "Defender" and the majestic sounding "Eye of the Storm." The infectious disc would become The Crüxshadows' best selling album to date both in the United States and abroad.
The following year witnessed another single marching up the Billboard charts. "Immortal" continued the bands musical string of hits, despite the loss of violinist Rachel McDonnell. David Wood and JoHanna Moresco stepped in as an electric violining duo who not only safe-guarded the signature instrument of the band, but expanded it by way of rich layering and counterpoint melodies impossible in previous years. 2008 also saw the band's label Dancing Ferret Discs, withdraw from actively releasing new material. This left the band to deal with a large number of new and unforeseen issues, and delayed their plans to release a new full length album.
While The Crüxshadows spent most of 2009 touring in Europe, the band still managed to release yet another successful Billboard charting single in America. "Quicksilver" debuted just in time for their annual appearance at Atlanta's famed Dragon*Con Convention before an impressive capacity crowd of several thousand of their most loyal fans. "I think the new single, and really the most recent releases in general, are our most polished and well written work" says Rogue, "but there are still those in the scene, and in the business in general, that just think the whole thing is just dumb luck." The single was the first release from Wishfire Records, a new label founded by the band, and eventually reached #1 on The Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Charts and #2 on The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Charts. Seemingly too pop for many critics and too underground for the industry, the band has apparently found the perfect balance for the people who matter the most to them; their fans.
The Crüxshadows have played by their own rules, and who is to say in a world of declining sales and illegal internet downloads that they haven't gotten the balance right. Time will tell. For now, The Crüxshadows continue to defy as well as define the odds, and their dark yet positive machine continues to roll.
Sophia
The Crüxshadows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cruelty and hatred have become
The cause of those whose eyes are full of wanting
The truth will still abandon none...
So you must carry this light into the darkness
You shall be a star unto the night
You will find hope alive among the hopeless
That is your purpose to this life
The lips draw words
And hands find actions
Still there is more within one heart
And to the silence, will you answer?
Before the chaos, will you come?
Do not injustice to another
Defend the weak & innocent
May truth & honor always guide you
Let courage find a life within
Stand up when no one else is willing
Act not in hatred or in spite
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Even if it means your life...
Here I am,
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here I am
Thy will be done
Sancta Sophia
Peace is born to your victory
Athena Sophia
How can I hope to live... what I cannot dream?
You cannot map the ways of divinity......
This much is known...
Only unto God
And through these doubts
And through your confusion
Know that you are chosen to this fight
Look to find a soul filled with compassion
Look to see see a living source of light
Do not injustice to another
Defend the weak & innocent
Let truth & honor always guide you
Let courage find a life within
Stand up when no one else is willing
Act not in hatred or in spite
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Even if it means your life...
Here I am,
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here I am
Thy will be done
Sancta Sophia
Peace is born to your victory
Athena Sophia
How can I hope to be... what I can't believe...
The lyrics to "Sophia" by The Cruxshadows speaks about how life can be filled with isolation, cruelty, and hatred, but one must carry the light of truth into the darkness. The song encourages listeners to be a source of hope for the hopeless and to act with courage and honor. The lyrics emphasize the importance of justice, defending the weak and innocent, and standing up for what is right, even if it means risking one's own life. The song pays homage to Sophia, the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage, as well as to "Athena Sophia," who represents hope for victory and peace.
The opening lines of the song, "When life has slipped behind this isolation, cruelty and hatred have become," suggest that the singer feels overwhelmed and isolated in a world full of hostility and cruelty. However, the lyrics encourage the listener to not give up and to keep carrying the light of truth into the darkness. The lyrics ask the listener to be a "perfect knight" and act with honor and courage, even at the cost of their own life.
The song's refrain repeats the lines "Here I am, alive among the injured and the dead" -- a haunting reminder of the harsh realities of life. However, the chorus also pays tribute to Sophia and Athena Sophia, who represent hope, victory, and peace. Overall, the song urges the listener to have compassion, be a source of light, and to have faith in a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
When life has slipped behind this isolation
Life has become lonely and isolated
Cruelty and hatred have become The cause of those whose eyes are full of wanting
People who are envious and unsatisfied are being cruel and hateful
The truth will still abandon none...
The truth will eventually be revealed to everyone
So you must carry this light into the darkness
Be a guiding light for those who are lost
You shall be a star unto the night
You will provide hope and light in darkness
You will find hope alive among the hopeless
You will give hope to those who have lost it
That is your purpose to this life
Your purpose in life is to give hope
The lips draw words
Words come out when we speak
And hands find actions
Our hands do what we tell them to do
Still there is more within one heart
We have more feelings than we can express with words or actions
And to the silence, will you answer?
Will you listen to the silence and understand what it's saying?
Before the chaos, will you come?
Will you be ready to face chaos when it comes?
Do not injustice to another
Do not treat others unfairly
Defend the weak & innocent
Protect those who are vulnerable and innocent
May truth & honor always guide you
Let honesty and integrity be your guide
Let courage find a life within
Be brave and courageous
Stand up when no one else is willing
Be a leader and take action when others won't
Act not in hatred or in spite
Don't act out of anger or revenge
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Be an honorable and chivalrous person
Even if it means your life...
Even if it costs you everything
Here I am, Alive among the injured and the dead
I am still alive despite the chaos and suffering around me
Thy will be done Sancta Sophia, Peace is born to your victory Athena Sophia
I surrender to a higher power and hope for peace
How can I hope to live... what I cannot dream?
How can I hope to achieve something if I can't even imagine it?
You cannot map the ways of divinity......
You cannot understand how a higher power works
This much is known... Only unto God
Only God knows the truth
And through these doubts
Despite these uncertainties
And through your confusion
Despite feeling confused
Know that you are chosen to this fight
Understand that you have a role in this struggle
Look to find a soul filled with compassion
Find someone who is full of empathy and kindness
Look to see see a living source of light
Find someone who brings hope and light into the world
How can I hope to be... what I can't believe...
How can I be something that I don't even believe is possible?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind