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Rating: Tufts, little skulls, intrusive and pointless screams, and other extremely annoying elements. All this did not exist yet in 2002. The Emo of bands like Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate had vanished from the scene, and the name of the genre had not yet been "stolen." That's right, we were still a few years away from the emergence of some well-known shaggy and brOOtal puppets. We are in the period when bands that, so to speak, precede this genre are emerging, even if they don't have much in common with it. "The Illusion of Safety" by Thrice, "Alexisonfire" by Alexisonfire, and "What Is It To Burn" by Finch are coming out, albums that will influence and foreshadow a whole certain type of 2000s Post-Hardcore/Emocore. Needless to say, they represent the pinnacle of this genre (well, if we want to categorize them in it). A pinnacle already reached at the start.
"What Is It To Burn" by Finch is one of these records, we're talking about a very youthful genre (the lyrics of this album are evidence of that), but at that time it was still not trivial but still genuine and respectable. It still is today, especially in comparison to its subsequent products. With the second record, they will move away from this style.
But "What Is It To Burn" remains one of the highest peaks within its scene. Let's forget whininess and banality that some might expect when hearing about this album; here we are at the origin of the scene, and in this case, the best period, nothing plastic even in the more "pop" tracks like "Stay With Me," perhaps the most "any American teenager" style piece of the record but not for this reason with an already seen melody and not engaging nor where they start with "New Beginnings" where the band summarizes a bit of its style, nor in the blow that is "Project Mayhem," the most aggressive and at the same time longest and, if we want, also the most experimental track of the record. "Three Simple Words" also deserves a mention as it embodies the style of the record very well, as does the opener and especially "Perfection Through Silence," perhaps the best. Also excellent is the closing of the album "Ender": a ballad in crescendo with plenty of piano and electronic digressions, probably one of the band's best performances.
It is certainly not an album to be burned.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 New Beginnings (04:42)
Hand me downs and photographs,
Spread across the floor.
A broken record spins in circles,
She can't listen anymore.
She's turned around a thousand times,
She set that bridge afire!
But did you wanna listen?
You took the world with you!
So what is left,
So what is left for me?
I called you on the phone again,
Just the other day.
It sounds to me you found your place
And everything is great.
But did you wanna listen?
You took the world with you!
So what is left,
So what is left for me?
But did you wanna listen?
You took the world with you!
So what is left,
So what is left for me?
I TRY so hard to figure out WHY.
No explanation keeps me waiting.
Let's try! (LET'S TRY!)
Because I know you won't forget, I know. (I KNOW...)
Even if the story is over...
I KNOW...
It's over...
I KNOW...
It's over...
I KNOW...
But did you wanna listen?
You took the world with you.
So what is left,
So what is left for me?
WHAT'S LEFT FOR ME?
But did you wanna listen?
You took the world with you!
So what is left,
So what is left for me?
WHAT'S LEFT FOR ME?
But did you wanna listen? (FOR ME?)
You took the world with you! (WHAT'S LEFT FOR ME?)
So what is left,
So what is left for me? (FOR ME?)
I tried! (I TRIED!)
02 Letters to You (03:30)
Can't you see
That I wanna be
There with open arms
It's empty tonight
And I'm all alone
Get me through this one
Do you notice I'm gone?
Where do you run to
So far away?
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I'm writing again
These letters to you
Aren't much I know
But I'm not sleeping and
You're not here
The thought stops my heart
Do you notice I'm gone?
Where do you run to
So far away?
No more looking,
I've found home
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I want you to know that
I miss you, I miss you so
I've gone away
03 Post Script (03:02)
I wish it didn't hurt, hurt like this,
To say these things to you.
I'll sacrifice one moment for one truth.
If we get through tomorrow, then we'll be fine. (THEN WE'LL BE FINE!)
We'll wait for forever, AND SEE HOW CLOSE WE GET!
It's just another day, one more chance
To get this right.
I'll sacrifice forever, please just for tonight.
If we get through tomorrow, then we'll be fine. (THEN WE'LL BE FINE!
We'll wait for forever, AND SEE HOW CLOSE WE GET!
WE GET!
The worst is over for now...
Take a breath, now let it out!
The worst is over for now!
Take a breath, now let it out!
The worst is over for now!
04 Grey Matter (02:45)
Bite the tongue
to live with WHAT you've done
it's so good, it's so good,
Lie to myself while I lie with myself
It's Monday and it's raining
It's Sunday in the sun
It's so good, but...
Would it be so bad if you were to pretend that you were so happy?
Keep it to yourself
Don't let the secret go
If you were so willing, but...
Let's pray for the suicide
And all these pictures falling down around me
I've surrounded myself with all I have inside
Would I bite my tongue and live with what you've done?
Just continue sleeping?
Selfishly consumed with everything you've wrought
There's nothing I can do, but...
Let's pray for the suicide
And all these pictures falling down
One wish full, step to the side
And please just let me know
Are you happy? I'll decide.
These stories are so old, how they match your eyes.(3x)
But...
Let's pray for the suicide
And all these pictures falling down
One wish full, step to the side
And pick these pictures from the ground that surround me
05 Perfection Through Silence (03:18)
Alone at last, together in a photograph
Our eyes are always open,
Devoted to perfection...through silence.
What am I supposed to do?
Should I sit, wait for you?
Listen to me screaming more
This story is old only to those that have no mold
The truth can be bought or sold, but what are we buying?
Nothing but silence.
What am I supposed to do?
Should I sit, wait for you?
Listen to me screaming more (x2)
Fold the corners, break the silence...
Fold the corners, just for tonight
Fold the corners, break the silence...
Fold the corners, just for tonight
Fold the corners, break the silence
When weakened, when will you rise?
What am I supposed to do?
Should I sit, wait for you?
Listen to me screaming more
What am I supposed to do?
Should I sit, wait for you?
Listen to me screaming more
06 Awake (01:55)
One devotion to an empty moment.
Can you stay tonight?
Silence broken with words unspoken.
Now she's on her knees
No more feeling so useless.
"Can I beg for one more?" she said.
Taking with arms wide open.
Longing for sleep again.
The air is clearing.
Again, we're breathing.
Water turns to wine.
The day is tired,
The night's inside her.
Now she is alive.
No more feeling so useless.
"Can I beg for one more?" she said.
Taking with arms wide open.
Longing for sleep again.
But now, I'm awake...
But now, I'm awake...
But now, I'm awake...
Keep breathing, to feel something.
Take my breath...
(Away!) I PRAY THE SILENCE WILL STOP AND TAKE MY BREATH AWAY!
(Away!) SHE PRAYS THE SILENCE WILL STOP AND TAKE HER BREATH AWAY!
(Away!) I PRAY THE SILENCE WILL STOP AND TAKE MY BREATH AWAY!
(Away!) SHE PRAYS THE SILENCE WILL STOP AND TAKE HER BREATH AWAY!
Feeling so useless.
"Can I beg for one more?" she said.
Taking with arms WIDE open.
LONGING for sleep again.
But now, I'm awake... (I'M AWAKE...)
But now, I'm awake... (I'M AWAKE...)
But now, I'm awake... (I'M AWAKE...)
But now, I'm awake...
07 Without You Here (04:13)
The storm is bad tonight
so how could i
awake without you here?
your pictures on the wall
you haven't called
but i will wait for you
to her own reflection she said
i will hold on
to her own reflection she said
i will be strong
the storm is letting up
but it won't die
if you weren't wrong was i?
your picture still remains
but i wonder...are you still the same?
to her own reflection she said
i will hold on
to her own reflection she said
i will be strong
am i losing you? am i losing YOU?
i've WAITED..i've WAITED till its over..its over now..
i've WAITED..i've WAITED till its over..its over now..
i've WAITED..i've WAITED till its over..its over now..
i've WAITED..i've WAITED till its over..its over now..
to her own reflection she said
i will hold on
to her own reflection she said
i will be strong
to her own reflection she said
i will hold on....
08 Stay With Me (04:07)
Once again your eyes
Make it hard to say goodbye
So I'll just keep driving
Where you wanna go
It doesn't really matter
As long as you are here with me
With me
With me
Whoooa
There's something in the air tonight
Something that makes me feel alive
And I said whoooa
What were the words that you said to me
That made me feel so special now
Once again your eyes
Make it hard to ask you why
So I sit here knuckles tight
Hands against the wheel
Your head against the glass
And you mean so much to me
To me
To me
Whoooa
There's something in the air tonight
Something that makes me feel alive
And I said whooa
What were the words that you said to me
That made me feel so special
Stay with me
Cigarettes in open air
Hand in hand
And I said stay with me
Cause every star that I see
Is brighter than the last
So stay with me
Cigarettes in open air
Hand in hand
And I said stay with me
Cause every star that I see
Is brighter than the last
So stay with me
Cigarettes in open air
Hand in hand
And I said stay with me
Cause every star that I see
Is brighter than the last
So stay with me
Cigarettes in open air
Hand in hand
And I said stay with me
Cause every star that I see
Is brighter than the last
So stay with me...
09 Project Mayhem (05:45)
She shouts, "The most incessant, the most deplete"
She said, "Show me conscience with nothing to be"
She said, "Null the worm"
Let's sober up
Caught in time with the fizz of the burn
And so we burn
Can you begin at the ending,
So that I may begin again?
I took this from you,
I thought I was you
Now don't misunderstand me
I never meant to, to create you
Only mayhem
11 Three Simple Words (03:43)
Open up my eyes,
Flooded with daylight.
Another sleepless night turns color black and white.
With all the things I've said,
There is just regret,
Repeating in my head.
Hands into a fist,
Static in my head.
Now I'm sitting face to face with loneliness.
What did I expect?
Did I see forever
In you?
I never want it to hurt
More than it should.
I hope you're satisfied;
I never could.
Time to close my eyes,
Forget about this mess,
Try to fix this tragic loss of innocence.
But how can I forget
The things I haven't done,
When everything is dead?
I never want it to hurt
more than it should.
I hope you're satisfied;
I never could.
Can't you see that you left me
Here on my own?
Give me one good reason why I should let go...
With my hands around your neck...
Who will stop me now?
With my hands around your neck...
Who will stop me now?
With my hands around your neck...
Who will stop me now?
With my hands around your neck...
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
WHO WILL STOP ME NOW? (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
I never wanted it to hurt (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
more than it should. (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
I hope you're satisfied; (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
I never could. (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
Can't you see that you left me (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
Here on my own. (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
Give me one good reason why I should let go now... (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?) (WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?)
12 Ender (05:45)
Here I am beside myself again
I'm torn apart by words that you have said
and all in all, I know we're falling apart
Where did you run to so far away?
And here we are to sing you a song
And there you are asleep against the windowpane
Just like always
You said you like to hear the rain sometimes
and all I can do is tell you the truth
Oh my eyes will tell you the same
And here we are to sing you a song
And there you are asleep again
And here we are to sing you a song
And there you are asleep again
Grasp our hands together, we feel we are one result (x4)
And here we are to sing you a song
And there you are asleep again (x3)
13 What It Is to Burn (04:52)
SHE BURNS
Today's on fire
The sky is bleeding above me, and I am blistered
I walk these lines of blasphemy, every day
And still...
Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her
She's the only one who knows what it is to burn
I feel diseased
Is there no sympathy from the sun?
The sky's still fire,
But I am safe in here from the world outside
So tell me,
What's the price to pay for glory?
Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her
She's the only one who knows what it is to burn
Today is fire, and she burns
Today is fire, and she burns
SHE BURNS
SHE BURNS
SHE BURNS
SHE BURNS
SHE BURNS
SHE BURNS
Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her
She's the only one who knows what it is to burn
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