The original lineup consisted of Austin Thornton, Kevin Hanson, and Tim Sherrill with Cory Ferris and Ben Ferris. These members recruited vocalists Michael Bohn and Tyler Carter for unclean and clean vocals, respectively.
The band recorded a three-song demo with producer Cameron Mizell containing the songs "Hell, or High Water," "I.," and "If Not, for Ourselves," which were uploaded to their MySpace profile. They also recorded and released a cover of "TiK ToK." The Artery Foundation took notice and Rise/Velocity Records signed the band before they even played their first show. They recorded their album during the same month that they were signed.
The band's first tour was on the Pyknic pArtery Tour in the summer of 2010, headlined by Drop Dead, Gorgeous and shared with From First to Last, Attila, Sleeping With Sirens, Abandon All Ships, For All Those Sleeping, and Scarlett O'Hara.
Tyler Carter's soul-influenced clean vocals has garnered him comparisons to Jonny Craig, who also provided guest vocals on their album. The band went on a Canadian tour supporting Abandon All Ships in October of 2010 as well as the Average Guys With Exceptional Hair Tour across America, presented by MerchNow.com, in November with A Skylit Drive, Motionless in White, Scarlett O'Hara, and For All Those Sleeping.
The band released their debut music video for "[&] Delinquents" in December. By the end of December 2010, lead guitarist Tim Sherrill left Woe, Is Me. Geoffrey Higgins took up the position officially in March 2011.
The band released a new single "Fame > Demise" on March 21, 2011 through the iTunes store. The song is the last one to feature Sherrill on lead guitar. Tyler Carter has stated that the song will not be on the band's upcoming second album.
In late June 2011, Higgins left the band and they were forced to play their first Warped Tour performances with only Kevin Hanson's rhythm guitar while lead guitars were back-tracked for the time being. Weeks afterward, Andrew Paiano, formerly of Abandon All Ships, joined Woe, Is Me to play lead guitar.
On August 10, 2011, it was announced excluslvely through Alternative Press that Tyler Carter would be leaving Woe, Is Me. His statement can be read here on AltPress.com.
On September 15, 2011, Woe, is me announced their new vocalist, Hance Alligood, formerly of Oh, Manhattan.
Ben Ferris, Michael Bohn and Cory Ferris have left Woe, Is Me in March 2012.
Woe, Is Me announced they were parting ways with Austin Thornton in March 2013, leaving Kevin Hanson as the only remaining member from the original lineup.
Visit the band's official blog at http://fuckyeahwoeisme.tumblr.com/
November 18th 2013 WIM announced about their breaking up.
In 2022 Woe, Is Me have started back up with the original line-up except for Tim Sherrill on lead guitar and Tyler Carter on vocals. Hance Alligood is on vocals instead and Andrew Paiano on guitar.
Members
Current:
Michael Bohn - Unclean vocals (On Numbers)
Hance Alligood - Clean vocals
Andrew Paiano - Rhythm guitar
Kevin Hanson - Rhythm guitar (On Numbers)
Ben Ferris - Keyboards (On Numbers)
Cory Ferris - Bass (On Numbers)
Austin Thornton - Drums (On Numbers)
Ex-members:
Tyler Carter - Clean vocals (On Numbers)
Tim Sherrill - Lead guitar (On Numbers)
Jack Langdell - Lead guitar
Geoffrey Higgins - Lead guitar
Doriano Magliano - Unclean vocals
Brian Medley - Bass
David Angle - Drums
Matt Mulkey - Clean vocals
Mannequin Religion
Woe Is Me Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time to see the bastard you've become,
Because I know your father didn't raise you this way
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree,
And everybody says, you're just like me
I begin to lift up my own flaws, to better you
They say my head is my only prison, so I'll lock you up, I'll nail you down,
So watch where you're standing, for this ground sinks so quick
When you are drowning, in water all so thick, I won't hear you screaming now
I am the monster you created, and like a mountain we look down on kings
You reside in me, my thoughts and my dreams, won't die
I had a feeling this lie would go insane,
I should stab this vengeance through your name
I will survive only to eat you alive
The lyrics to Woe Is Me's song Mannequin Religion carry a lot of weight and emotion, as they explore themes of accountability, self-improvement, and the impact of our pasts on our present selves. The opening lines are particularly striking, as they paint a vivid picture of the final resting place of the subject of the song - "six feet under the earth is where you'll reside". The singer then goes on to reflect on the fact that the person they are addressing has become a "bastard" and that they know their father didn't raise them to be this way. This acknowledgement of the role that upbringing can play in shaping our behavior and personality is powerful, and sets the stage for what follows.
The singer then makes a striking comparison: "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and everybody says, you're just like me". This suggests a sense of shared responsibility and culpability, and perhaps a glimmer of hope that the subject of the song can change. The singer then turns inward, acknowledging their own flaws and striving to improve themselves in order to better the other person. However, there is a sense of darkness and resentment that pervades the song - phrases like "my head is my only prison" and "I am the monster you created" suggest a deep-seated sense of anger and a desire for revenge.
In the end, the lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is trapped in a cycle of pain and anger that is difficult to break free from - "I will survive only to eat you alive". The imagery of sinking into thick water is particularly striking, as it suggests a sense of suffocation and powerlessness. Despite the bleakness of the lyrics, however, there is a sense of catharsis and release that comes from confronting and acknowledging our own faults and those of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Six feet under the earth is where you'll reside
You will die and be buried in the ground
It's time to see the bastard you've become,
It's time for you to face the fact that you have become a terrible person
Because I know your father didn't raise you this way
I know you were not raised to become this kind of person by your father
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree,
Children often inherit traits from their parents
And everybody says, you're just like me
People believe that you and I share the same negative traits
I begin to lift up my own flaws, to better you
I acknowledge my own mistakes in order to help you avoid making the same ones
They say my head is my only prison, so I'll lock you up, I'll nail you down,
People say that I'm trapped in my own mind, so I'll trap you in your body by restraining you
I keep you safe, I'll keep you sound, I'll burn this to the ground
I will keep you safe from harm, but destroy everything else around us
So watch where you're standing, for this ground sinks so quick
Be careful where you stand, because the ground beneath you may give way
When you are drowning, in water all so thick, I won't hear you screaming now
When you are struggling and in distress, I will not be there for you
I am the monster you created, and like a mountain we look down on kings
I have become a monstrous version of myself because of the negative traits you passed down to me, and we are now powerful and dominant over others
You reside in me, my thoughts and my dreams, won't die
Your influence on me is so strong that you will always be a part of my thoughts and dreams
I had a feeling this lie would go insane,
I knew that this deceitful behavior would lead to madness
I should stab this vengeance through your name
I want to extract revenge on you by harming your reputation
I will survive only to eat you alive
My main goal is to destroy you, even if it means sacrificing myself in the process
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alifeinseoul
How is this still so good 10 years later?
@mehsanhafiz6729
ikr? and the outro is so addictive!
@BrucifyMe
It really aged well. I mentioned this in a much older comment but not relying on a basic "intro-verse-chorus-verse-etc" structure really helped these songs keep their "freshness" and is what makes Numbers such a classic. It's a real shame that the band didn't get a long - they really were lightning in a bottle for the early 2010s "rise-core" scene.
@MadnessInTheMoonlight
Ur mum
@shawnanthony562
Fucking great
@Ricardodambrosio
12 years later 🔥
@niencynth
When im 80 yrs old ill still be banging to this album.
@gabrielpatrick1581
Allison yo same
@revinay
yasssh
@slayazu
This album has aged well.