Formed in 2015, the band signed with No Sleep Records and released their debut single, "Graveyard Shift", in March, of which the music video included cameos from members of Neck Deep. Following this, they played the Pinky Swear Records Fest in Manchester on May 2nd, headlined by Man Overboard, and Furyfest in Liverpool on May 3rd, also playing Empire Festival in Sheffield on May 17th. They played the Jump On Demand Records Festival, also in Liverpool, later that June, as well as the Hevy Fest in Port Lympne, Kent and the Make A Scene Festival in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire in August.
Their debut EP, SKRWD, was released on September 4, 2015. The EP was produced and recorded by Seb Barlow, of Neck Deep, at Celestial Recordings. They then played the Hype Fest in Birmingham on November 28th. In December, WSTR was nominated for Best British Newcomer by Rock Sound, with Boston Manor winning the category.
In early 2016, the band was included in Kerrang!'s Class of 2016 list. They played the Less Than Three Festival in Derby and opened for Neck Deep on the European leg of their World Tour, along with fellow openers Creeper. Later in July, they played the 2000Trees Festival at Upcote Farm in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. They then released a new single, "Lonely Smiles", off their upcoming album in September.
In support of their first album, 'Red, Green Or Inbetween' the band went on their first headlining tour, “The Inbetween Tour”, from October to November 2016, with support from Milestones, also playing the Slam Dunk Festival. During this time, the band recorded an acoustic version of the album's second single, "Footprints", which was made available on a "name your price" basis on their Bandcamp page. They additionally opened for ROAM on their UK/Ireland tour in support of their album, Backbone, and released a third single, "Featherweight".
On January 20th, 2017 the band released their first full-length album, 'Red, Green or Inbetween'. They then supported Seaway on a UK tour, alongside The Gospel Youth, and returned to Slam Dunk later that summer. They also played the Truck Festival at Hill Farm in Oxfordshire, the Reading and Leeds Festivals, the Deadbolt Festival in Manchester and the 2Q Festival in Lincoln, as well as opened for With Confidence on an Australian tour.
On June 4th, 2018 the band announced that they were signing with Hopeless Records, and followed their signing up by a playing a set at Download Festival in the UK. They then opened for As It Is on multiple legs of their okay. tour, first in Europe with Courage My Love and then in the UK with Like Pacific and Grayscale. On August 31st they released their second LP, 'Identity Crisis', which was led by the singles "Bad To The Bone", "Crisis" and "Silly Me". To support its release, they joined Neck Deep on the second North American leg of The Peace and the Panic Tour with fellow openers, Trophy Eyes and Stand Atlantic, and went on a headlining UK tour with Between You & Me and Hey Charlie.
In early 2019, WSTR went on tour again as the supporting act for The Faim on their UK tour. They later released a cover EP titled Give Yourself a Hell, featuring covers of "Give Yourself a Try" by The 1975 and "Gives You Hell" by The All-American Rejects, and played their third Slam Dunk Festival that summer. In the fall, they embarked on the full run of The Noise & Ones to Watch Presents Stand Atlantic and The Faim Co-Headline U.S. Tour, with fellow openers Hold Close and Point North playing on select dates. While on tour, they released a new song, "Filthy".
On November 25th WSTR set out on a headlining UK tour, starting in Brighton and ended in Nottingham on December 8th. In early 2020 the band along with Hot Mulligan & LURK opened up for Grayscale on the Nella Vita North American Tour: Part II. The tour concluded on February 27th right before the global pandemic of COVID-19 struck and canceled touring for the remainder of the year.
On August 14th they put up a limited re-release of their first EP ‘SKRWD' on Vinyl. Along with Re-imagined versions of 'Ain't Great' & 'South Drive' on their bandcamp and streaming platforms.
https://www.wstrband.com/
Footprints
WSTR Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's slowly getting colder
There's a thousand things you do to test my patience
Mistaken for ghosts who knelt before her
Turned her back and left them in the corner
Embraced it
I tabled all my aces but I can't seem to break ahead
I'm anxious
It's fucking with my chances of redemption
(Redemption)
I'm still that kid you don't remember
Still got hot rocks in my jeans
Amongst the others speaking parseltongue
And I still don't know what it means
I held back my keep safes
The difference a day makes
I held more than my lungs could take
And now we're stalked by trails of vapour
Embraced it
I tabled all my aces but I can't seem to break ahead
(Can't seem to break ahead)
I'm anxious
It's fucking with my chances of redemption
(Redemption)
Footprints embedded in my skin
Lovestruck so I can never win
It's pulling me back
Take everything I have
The lyrics of "Footprints" by WSTR are complex and multilayered, dealing with themes of regret, loss, and disillusionment. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, describing a growing distance between the singer and their lover. The image of ice brushing off their lover's shoulder suggests that they are becoming increasingly indifferent to the singer, and the use of the phrase "mistaken for ghosts" suggests that the singer feels like they have been left behind and forgotten.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the same lyrics, emphasizing the singer's feelings of frustration and anxiety. The second verse is more introspective, with the singer reflecting on their own flaws and shortcomings. They talk about holding back their "keep safes," or their deepest emotions, and feeling like they don't belong with the others around them. The line "still got hot rocks in my jeans" suggests that the singer is carrying a lot of emotional baggage and is struggling to move on from their past experiences.
The final lines of the song are perhaps the most poignant, with the singer talking about the footprints embedded in their skin, a physical reminder of the love they can never have. The use of the phrase "lovestruck so I can never win" emphasizes the singer's sense of hopelessness and their belief that they will never be able to move on from their lost love.
Overall, "Footprints" is a powerful song that deals with complex emotions in a raw and honest way. The lyrics suggest a deep sense of regret and loss, but also a glimmer of hope that the singer may one day be able to find redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately I've felt the ice brush off your shoulder
I sense that you're withdrawing and growing colder toward me.
It's slowly getting colder
Our relationship is gradually cooling down, growing distant.
There's a thousand things you do to test my patience
You frequently behave in ways that try my patience, testing our bond.
Mistaken for ghosts who knelt before her
People who once worshipped you like ghosts do not realize your change in attitude and turn their back on you.
Turned her back and left them in the corner
You turned your back on them as they have done to you, leaving them alone in their misery.
Embraced it
I have accepted this situation and the distance between us.
I tabled all my aces but I can't seem to break ahead (Can't seem to break ahead)
I have put everything I have into this relationship, but I cannot seem to improve it.
I'm anxious
I am worried and stressed about what the future holds for us.
It's fucking with my chances of redemption (Redemption)
My anxiety is making it difficult for me to make amends and fix the relationship.
I'm still that kid you don't remember
Despite our past, you now see me as someone you barely know, much like a stranger or a child.
Still got hot rocks in my jeans
I still carry the weight and pressure of our relationship on me.
Amongst the others speaking parseltongue
I feel like an outcast in a group of people who do not speak my language or understand my emotions.
And I still don't know what it means
I am still unsure about the meaning and significance of our relationship.
I held back my keep safes
I have concealed my secrets and emotions, keeping them locked away from you.
The difference a day makes
Things can change abruptly in a short amount of time.
I held more than my lungs could take
I have suppressed my feelings so much that it has become unbearable.
And now we're stalked by trails of vapour
Our relationship has been reduced to nothing but fleeting memories and remnants of what it used to be.
Footprints embedded in my skin
I am forever marked by the experience of being in this relationship and it will remain with me forever.
Lovestruck so I can never win
I am so in love with you that I cannot win by any means, whether it be trying to fix the relationship or moving on.
It's pulling me back
The feelings and emotions I have for you are keeping me stuck in this relationship despite the challenges.
Take everything I have
I am willing to give up everything I have for this relationship, regardless of the outcome.
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@IamTheWillrus
Fuck me this album is going to drop kick and crowd surf the fuck out of 2017, you guys are sick
@noahrubio2939
this shit is so fire. love the aggression in his voice.
@jackinasong
The neck is deep on this one.
@richardkinier1603
Still Lit.
@kidliberty666
the intro guitar is not neck deep at all , just saying
@kaitlinpennington8211
Giacomo Scaglianti they're actually good friends with Neck Deep!
@mattholmes4685
Neck Deep 2.0 with another solid jam!
@MauledByDogBearsProd
Matt Holmes I wish Neck Deep was this good
@Pyromanen93
This new Neck Deep song is really good
@ganmoron
lel