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Shadows Are Security

Shadows Are Security is the third album by the Thrash/metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album was released on June 14, 2005 through Metal Blade Records, and was produced by Tim Lambesis, the band's vocalist, and Phil Sgrosso, one of the band's guitarists, along with Steve Russell. A Limited Edition was released on June 23, 2005 with a bonus DVD of a show filmed at the Substage Club in Karlsruhe, Germany on November 28, 2004. The CD was released again as a Special Edition on October 17, 2006 with a DVD on the making of the album and included videos of Confined, Through Struggle, and The Darkest Nights. It also featured additional linear notes from vocalist Tim Lambesis on the concept of the record and little known facts on the making of the album.

It peaked at #35 on the US Billboard 200 and sold,a as of 2007, about 275 000 copies. It has also produced three singles in "Confined," "Through Struggle" and "The Darkest Nights." Music videos were shot for all three of them.

Although Clint Norris was the bassist when this album was recorded, he is not featured on the album on both bass and vocals. Phil Sgrosso is credited with recording bass on the album.

Meanings to each song

In the album booklet of the album, there are lyrics to each song and linear notes explaining what the song and lyrics mean to the lyricist, singer and writer Tim Lambesis. Also there are closing remarks.

Meaning In Tragedy - "I thought that I was done writing lyrics for the record when Meaning In Tragedy became a song. Since I'd covered everything that I wanted to conceptually, this song challenged me to look at the album from an outside perspective. There are so many resolute thoughts expressed throughout the other songs, so I decided to write about the initial journey that inspired the lyrics to come. The titile 'Meaning in Tragedy' gives hope that reflecting upon our past experience can ultimately lead us to change for the better. Lines like "confined freedom guides us to security" help identify that the fact that we are comfortable being told what to and believe as long as we are somehow manipulated into thinking we had a choice. We are comfortable when the idead of truth is put right in front of us because we all want to know the answers to our questions, but we don't have the discipline to find the asnwers for ourselves. Therefore, most of us accept things as truth that have never been questioned. We are told what to and think and are happily guided into our place of life because we have the passion and courage to fight the battles we will face. This courage is not worth being spent on an agenda that has been past down by generations of those who are already misguided."

Confined - "In this song, "home" is a place of purpose and vision. This song is about losing that sense of purpose and being caught up in the meaningless things of this life, like materalism and the temporary emotions that control our thoughts and actions. As easily as I identify these meaningless things, I often catch myself being emptied into these passionless desires. There is such a strong sense of urgency for everything that we do in life, but how many of those urgent tasks will last long enough to justify our efforts? I begin to ask myself that same questions while looking out the window beyond the grey walls of our tour van. There are so many places we have gone that I will never forget, but that same van has taken me to countless cities in pursuit of what I will never be able to take with me beyond this life"

Losing Sight - "Lyrically, this song is very short and one of the most straight forward. It builds on the ideas established in Confined that we need to reevaulate what really matters in life. In addiction to recognizing what is meaningless, the song was a way for me to come to grips with that fact that I need to let go of the vain things that I cling to. Letting go and becoming dead to my selfish desires and emotions is something that I will always have a hard time doing, but I know that is with this death that I will truly experience the life I was designed for"

The Darkest Nights - "The Darkest Nights is the first of two climatic points in the concept of the record. It is during this song that I have been able to fall in love and pour my heart out into something of worth but it is the very emotional side of love that this song describes. Regardless, it is this love that was initially able to save me. Knowing how much of this life is meaningless, I experience a deep sense of sorrow wondering what is worthwhile for my heart to pursue. This song describes a feeling that is very momentary but nonetheless proviced a memory that was capable of giving me hope through the dark times that would follow."

Empty Hearts - "This song very directly deals with the false belief that love can be experience without sacrifice. "Lossless paradise" describes our modern sense of love, which is achieving selfish fulfillment without commitment or sacrifice. It is a search that leaves us feeling empty while we will look anywhere but ourselves in efforts to solve this impossible combination. I was divided between a dissolute self and the sacrificial sometimes sorrow-filled devotion that is required for true love. In the end, the answer became simple when I asked myself which one will last. Which form of love will still be there when the dark night passes though?"

Reflection - "Reflection describes the dark night that the previous two songs refer to. It is my best effort to write down every emotion that I felt during that time. Even now, the lyrics seem to be the only accurate description I can offer. In the end, everything I felt was the result of the world I had created for myself through selfish lving and a lack of sincere sacrificial love."

Repeating Yesterday - It was a very humbling process for me to realize how true these words had become. However, I was finally at a point where I recognized what I need to do in order to fully love. It wasn't the modern self-gratifying emotion I had seen in the moives. It was a total removal of myself and the formation of something new."

Through Struggle - "Through Struggle represents a very positive point in the concept of the record. While writing this song I was able to understand that growth starts by first removing what holds us back. My heart was like a machine that ran on feeling. There was a problem: Feeling is no more love than excitement is dedication. Tru love involves commitment and sacrifice. Which are two things that seldom exist when emotions have past."

The Truth of My Perception - Our emotions can be like windowless room that closes almost forcing us to think or act a certain way . This song is about waiting for clarity when those feelings are gone. Often, positive emotions give us motivation to love, but, in the end, that should bnot be the only reason we do what is right. When first feelings fade, I hope that I will still love with sincerity and devotion."

Control Is Dead - The closing line is The Truth of My Perception (I will still be here) shows a strong sense of confidence and determination. But, while, we all want to believe that we can control our every action, there are times in our loves when we fail despite our greatest efforts. Selfishness is so ingrained in our hearts that we often settle for what is easy or what feels secure for the moment. The phrase "shadows are security" comes from this song. Shadows are easy to identify but they always changing. Like emotions they are with us one minute and gone the next. The song is about overcoming temporary and false sense of security."

Morning Waits - "Morning Waits was originally going to be the last song on the album. It is a testament to God's faithfulness despite my own. After everything I have learned, I now know it was always me who needed to change and God who was always faitful."

Illusions - This song fits well at the end of the concept because it is very retrospective. Looking back on all of the meaningless things I had left behind it makes sense to ask the question: how could I go back to live amongst the dead?"

CLOSING REMARKS: I have made so many mistakes in my life and done so many things that I have hurt those closest to me. I understand that God does not only love me because He feels like it, which makes me all the more amazed by His perfect example. God's love is an absolute commitment to me despite my reflection of Him. It is beyond temporary thoughts and feelings and straight to what counts...Forever sacrificing for those you love.

Track listing

All songs by As I Lay Dying

"Meaning in Tragedy" – 3:12 (feat. Matt Mentley of Throwdown)
"Confined" – 3:11 (feat. Matt Mentley of Throwdown and Dave Arthur of Kings To You)
"Losing Sight" – 3:24
"The Darkest Nights" – 3:51 (feat. Dave Arthur of Kings To You)
"Empty Hearts" – 2:49
"Reflection" – 3:11
"Repeating Yesterday" – 4:02
"Through Struggle" – 3:58 (feat. Dave Arthur of Kings To You)
"The Truth of My Perception" – 3:06
"Control is Dead" – 2:56 (feat. Dan Weyandt of Zao)
"Morning Waits" – 3:56
"Illusions" – 5:48 (feat. Jason Moody of No Innocent Victim)