Shortly after the release of Transient Effects, Vadim Taver, a friend of the band and the former guitarist of death/grind band A Life Once Lost (who are also from the Philadelphia area) joined This Day Forward along with guitarist Brendan Ekstrom (formerly of 200 North), and in 2002, this new lineup went on to release the Kairos EP. While Transient Effects had been a progression from the first release but had stayed more or less true to the same style, Kairos was a definite shift. The riffs were often more subtle and not strictly metal-influenced, and the songs, while still generally heavy, were interspersed with many softer parts. In addition, Shaw varied the vocals greatly, incorporating clean singing and an almost spoken-word-like yelling in addition to his original throaty scream. The album was well-received by critics and featured Thursday's Geoff Rickly doing guest vocals at the end of the song "Sunfalls and Watershine," which received a fair amount of play on college radio stations.
This Day Forward signed to Equal Vision Records in late 2002, by which time they had already completed several US tours, and in the following year released In Response. This album strayed even farther from their initial sound, largely abandoning the screams and incorporating more traditional song structures as well as softer backup vocals by Taver. As a result, the band was predictably accused of selling out by some fans, though others still consider it their best and most original work. In the months following the album, the band toured extensively, playing with bands such as Thursday, Murder by Death, Since by Man, and Christiansen before announcing their breakup in November. The reasons for this are not well known. Among the rumors circulating were that some members were dissatisfied with In Response or disillusioned with the hardcore scene, but none of these appeared substantiated, although at one of their final shows with Poison the Well, Mike walked offstage in the middle of a song after a fight broke out, saying "and then you wonder why bands break up." The band played the final leg of their last tour in December with Alexisonfire, ending with their last show at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia - a cherished local music venue where they had played early in their career.
VOICE
This Day Forward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I swore to know so long ago
What have we become?
We swore to never fall this far
Cloud shifting shape
Blueprints go up in flames
The world it melts away
So still in search
So still I try to find this voice
Oh it's too late to go back
Too late to go back
What have I become?
I swore to never fall this far
Oh it's too late to go back
Too late to go back
If I could do it all over again
Oh, if I could do it all over again
I would
Cloud shifting shape
Blueprints go up in flames
The world it melts away
The world it melts away
Write it down
Write it down
Write it down
So still in search
So still I try to find this voice
It's too late, too late to go back
What have we become?
We swore to know so long ago
It's too late, too late to go back now
If I could do it all over again
Oh, if I could do it all over again
We are the words and thoughts we think we feel, just fade away, fade away (x4)
(Write it down, write it down)
Some day we'll lie in graves
(Write it down, write it down)
Up above they'll say our names
Up above they'll say our names
Write it down
The song "Voice" by This Day Forward is a reflection on the passage of time and the feeling of being lost, as the singer questions what they have become and what society as a whole has become. The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song, as the singer questions their own identity and the state of the world around them. The lines "What have I become? I swore to know so long ago / What have we become? We swore to never fall this far" show a sense of disappointment and disillusionment with both themselves and society in general.
The song continues with references to clouds, blueprints, and the melting away of the world, which all add to the sense of fleetingness and impermanence that the singer is feeling. They are searching for a voice, a way to express themselves and communicate their feelings, but they feel it is too late to go back and change anything. The repeated line "If I could do it all over again / I would" shows a desire for a second chance, to make different choices or take a different path.
The final section of the song shifts from personal reflection to a more universal message, as the singer urges the listener to "Write it down." This can be interpreted as a call to action, to document one's thoughts and feelings and make them known. The lines "Some day we'll lie in graves / Up above they'll say our names" acknowledge the inevitability of death, but also the power of leaving a lasting legacy through one's words and actions.
Line by Line Meaning
What have I become?
The singer is questioning their current state of being and behavior.
I swore to know so long ago
The singer had made a promise to themselves to possess a certain level of knowledge or understanding that they may no longer have.
What have we become?
The singer is questioning the state of themselves and others.
We swore to never fall this far
The artist and others had made a promise to never decline to such a low state of being but they may have not fulfilled that promise.
Cloud shifting shape
The appearance of clouds are constantly changing.
Blueprints go up in flames
Plans and strategies may spontaneously become irrelevant or useless.
The world it melts away
The world may appear to disintegrate or dissolve.
So still in search
The artist is actively seeking something but has not yet found it.
So still I try to find this voice
The artist is attempting to find their own personal identity or message.
Oh it's too late to go back
The artist has come too far to reverse their course of action or thoughts.
If I could do it all over again
The singer is expressing regret and longing for a second chance to correct their actions or decisions.
Write it down
The artist is urging themselves or others to record important information or ideas.
We are the words and thoughts we think we feel, just fade away, fade away
The singer is highlighting the temporary and fleeting nature of our thoughts and feelings, and how they eventually disappear.
(Write it down, write it down)
The singer repeats their phrase, stressing the importance of recording information.
Some day we'll lie in graves
The singer acknowledges that mortality is inevitable, and one day everybody will die.
Up above they'll say our names
The artist suggests that people will still remember or honor the deeds and accomplishments of the deceased.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind