The Unseen formed in Boston 1993 and released the demo EP Too Young To Know...Too Reckless To Care in 1994. Two other 7" EPs followed, before the release of their debut full-length, Lower Class Crucifixion on A-F Records. Another two albums followed on the same label before they signed to BYO Records, and then, Hellcat Records. Each of their albums have sold moderately better than previous releases.
The quintet also released a best-of compilation for the European market in June 2000 titled Totally Unseen: The Best Of The Unseen, which contained two previously unreleased tracks.
For the release of their 2001 album The Anger And the Truth, "Chainsaw" re-accompanied the band in the studio to record the song No Evacuation, a song he originally wrote.
After being a member of the band for nearly ten years and writing most of the material on Lower Class Crucifixion, So This is Freedom?, and The Anger and the Truth, Paul Russo left the band after only contributing vocals to one track on their fourth album Explode. Citing differences in direction, he is now the leader of The Strings, an indie rock/folk band. He remains friends with his former bandmates.
Mark Unseen, the lead singer, formed and currently runs ADD Records. He also briefly joined the Maine street punk group A Global Threat as a second singer, and recorded the full-length What the Fuck Will Change? and Until We Die before deciding to concentrate on his duties with The Unseen.
There has been some controversy concerning the band, including allegations that in recent years they have "sold out". Most widely cited is the fact that The Unseen have produced music videos to air on commercial music video channels such as MTV2, an avenue looked-down upon in the underground streetpunk scene. The band reacted to this perception with the song "So Sick of You."
They have toured Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and Mexico with many punk heavyweights from The Bouncing Souls and Rancid to decidedly more hardcore outfits like Hatebreed and Sick Of It All. Since the departure of Paul, the band has used many replacements on tour such as members from The Virus, Strike Anywhere, and F-Minus, however, recently, on their MySpace page The Unseen have included a fifth band member, Jonny, an ex-guitarist of A Global Threat who was in the band at the same time as Mark.
2006 also saw the release of Tripp's book So This Is Readin'?, which details the life and hardships of being in an underground band with dry comedy. It started as a lengthy band history on the band's website, but after a few amusing "chapters" he was contacted by a publishing company to release it in book form.
In May 2006, The Unseen announced on their official website that they would begin writing their sixth studio full-length album during the summer of that year. The album, titled Internal Salvation, came out on July 10, 2007. The first song released from that album is a track titled "Right Before Your Eyes". In support of the new album, the band has joined the thirteenth Warped Tour.
Scream Out
The Unseen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well all my life it's been the same
Me, I cannot afford your fear of pain
My frustration it needs release,
Cut me open and hear me breath
Playing punk keeps me sane
Don't need drugs to numb the pain
I hope it helps you
Do you think I want to let America ruin me?
No way!
I'm screaming out, somebody listen,
It feels so good to share my pain
I'm screaming out, somebody listen,
It feels so good to share my pain
Well I lost control and hurt myself
I knew deep down that I needed some help
This self abuse, it would not stop,
No matter how hard I tried
So I ran away from here
And I pulled myself together
Am I going insane? think again
I got so fed up with being unstable
No more!
I'm screaming out, somebody listen,
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
I'm screaming out, somebody listen,
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
It feels so good to share my pain
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
I'm screaming out!
That I needed some help!
The Unseen's "Scream Out" is a powerful and deeply personal expression of the band's frustration with life's difficulties and the importance of speaking out and seeking help. The song starts with an acknowledgement that life can be painful, but the singer refuses to let this fear of pain control him. He uses punk music as a way of releasing his frustration and keeping himself sane, rejecting the temptation to use drugs as a numbing agent. Speaking directly to the listener, the singer hopes that his music can help them in the same way.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's own struggles with self-harm, acknowledging that he knew he needed help to break this cycle. Running away from the source of his pain and consciously choosing to pull himself together, he recognizes that he was on the brink of losing control and becoming unstable. The chorus repeats the same powerful refrain, "I'm screaming out, somebody listen, it feels so good to share my pain," as the singer notes how freeing it can be to finally speak up and ask for the help he needed.
Overall, "Scream Out" is a reminder that we all face trials and tribulations in our own lives, but that it is crucial to not let those struggles consume us. By speaking out and asking for help, we can overcome these obstacles and find a sense of community and support in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Well all my life it's been the same
I have always lived in the same way, following the same patterns and routines.
Me, I cannot afford your fear of pain
I am unable to deal with your aversion to pain, as it does not align with how I cope with difficult emotions.
My frustration it needs release,
I must find a way to express my pent-up frustration and emotions in order to relieve them.
Cut me open and hear me breath
If you were to open me up, you would see and understand the depth of my emotions and experiences.
Playing punk keeps me sane
Engaging with the punk music genre is something that helps me maintain my mental health and stability.
Don't need drugs to numb the pain
I do not require substances such as drugs to escape from my pain or emotions.
It keeps me alive
Engaging with punk music mentally and emotionally sustains me in a way that other activities and experiences do not.
I hope it helps you
I hope that my engagement with punk music can have a positive influence on those around me, and inspire others to find similar coping mechanisms.
Do you think I want to let America ruin me?
I refuse to let societal expectations, including those of America as a country, negatively impact my mental and emotional wellbeing.
No way!
I am resolute in this decision, and I will not allow others or outside forces to deter me from it.
I'm screaming out, somebody listen,
I am desperately seeking someone to hear and acknowledge my pain and emotions.
It feels so good to share my pain
By vocalizing and expressing what I am feeling, I experience a sense of relief and catharsis.
Well I lost control and hurt myself
I have experienced moments of losing control over my emotions and have resorted to physical methods to cope, resulting in self-harm.
I knew deep down that I needed some help
Despite my attempts to cope and overcome my pain, I recognized that I required external assistance and support to do so.
This self abuse, it would not stop,
The attempts to manage my pain through self-harm were unsuccessful and persisted despite my efforts to discontinue them.
No matter how hard I tried
Despite my best efforts, I was unable to cease my self-destructive behavior on my own and required outside intervention.
So I ran away from here
In order to take care of myself and break away from the circumstances that contributed to my pain, I removed myself from that environment.
And I pulled myself together
Through seeking help and working on my mental and emotional health, I was able to regain control and stability in my life.
Am I going insane? think again
I refuse to allow others to question my mental stability or wellbeing, as I have taken steps to address and manage my struggles.
I got so fed up with being unstable
The instability I experienced in my mental and emotional state became too overwhelming and detrimental, driving me to seek help and change.
No more!
I am resolutely committed to making positive changes in my life and finding healthier ways to cope with pain and negative emotions.
That I needed some help!
I recognize that the path to healing and growth requires assistance and support from others, and I am willing to seek and accept that help.
I'm screaming out!
I continue to seek connection and understanding from others, vocalizing and sharing my pain as a means of healing and recovery.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICK NOWELLS, PALOMA STOECKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Apletree Music
“Playing punk keeps me sane,
I don’t need drugs to numb the pain,
It keeps me alive,
I hope it helps you”
Matthew Kunkle
This music never gets old to me ❤
kayla munoz
So nostalgic. Sometimes wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to enjoy this time.
Amir Jafari
Hear hear.
CZR LP
Same hear, but just less sex and drugs
Chris Cocores
Amen, let’s party like it 2008 Kayla!
Erick Mazur
Punk rock
Gnarly McGnarlson
This song isn't that old lol
xlxDxlx
Sometimes I need to go back to this song and blast it. A decade plus on Scream Out is still the therapy I need to hear.
Thrash_Skank_Thrash
This song changed me forever. I wouldn’t have ever thaught about being punk if I hadn’t heard this.