Sometimes the best way to move forward is to go back to the basics, taking all of the raw energy and emotion of the past and channeling it into the present, coupled with all of the progression and knowledge obtained in the intermediary years. And that’s exactly what Thousand Foot Krutch is doing on the aptly titled The End Is Where We Begin, which doesn’t just showcase the group’s thunderous musical pursuits coming full circle with its most cutting edge album to date, but also finds Canada’s favorite modern rockers voluntarily walking away from record label life all together (even after a slew of profitable offers came along) to reignite the passionate DIY work ethos that first emerged over a decade ago.
While waiting for inspiration to arrive and fuel the writing process, TFK's front man/songwriter Trevor McNevan popped in the band's seminal debut, That's What People Do, which echoed respected rappers like Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys, cross-pollinated with the rhythmic grooves of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Those inspirations return throughout The End Is Where We Begin, alongside the group's continuously marinating blend of towering choruses, razor-sharp rhythms, epic arrangements and stadium shaking rumbles.
"Without trying, this record has a very militant theme to it, with songs like 'War Of Change' and 'Courtesy Call' painting more of a visual for that," states McNevan. "There's an urgency to it and I think the timing feels right. This record's heart can be summed up by 'Be The Change,' the album's lyric and phrase seen throughout the album artwork."
Here, Trevor explains in his own words about the inspiration behind every song on the new album, available everywhere Tuesday, April 17, 2012.
THE INTRODUCTION
The title of the record, despite its personal meanings, had this epic, almost sci-fi ring to it, which got me thinking it might be cool if there was a “mainframe” type character that would open the album with an introduction and set the pace. I wanted to find a voice that was somewhere between Optimus Prime (Transformers) and Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey, so Aaron Sprinkle and I sat there forever trying to recreate that. In the end, we just ended up using my voice and effecting it like crazy.
WE ARE
I’m a big 90’s fan, and I remember somewhere in the middle of writing this record wanting to create something that moved like that old classic song “Zero” by The Smashing Pumpkins; something that just had "eat you alive" guitars in it, and was heavy, but danceable. The verses in this song and the main riff make you want to move--they have that funky element to them. Content wise, this record has a very militant feel to it; it was part of the inspiration in conveying what I was feeling mentally and spiritually. This song is a forerunner for that, setting the pace and laying out the foundation for the heart of this record. I think the lyrics of the chorus say it all: “We are the change, we are the chains that hold us,” conveying that it’s up to us to be the change. We can’t wait for someone else to do it--we are our own prison.
LIGHT UP THE SKY
This was an idea I had for some time, and although it’s in the same vein as some of our other high-octane songs, like “Fire It Up,” it’s quite different. I wanted it to have that U2 Vertigo type vibe; that big stadium energy with single notes on the main guitar riff, instead of chords. It’s also one of the highest songs vocally to date. With every record, you try to push yourself. When your writing it’s no big deal, but when you get tracking, you realize, "wow, I’m gonna really have to step into this!" And this was the first song written for the new album that had actual rhyming in it. I grew up on old school hip hop and have always been into rhyming. That’s where I came from, and I think it has given me a lot of unique advantages as a vocalist and as a writer. It also has its setbacks. You have to remember that not everybody is listening for a clever or witty lyric or vocal pattern, and it can easily throw them off or sometimes just go right over their heads. I hate predictable rhymes. This song is like an explosive; it builds and then explodes, comes right back down, builds, and then explodes again. Musical pyro!!! I wanted the listener to feel the energy, and feel the emotion behind it. It’s a call to action.
THE END IS WHERE WE BEGIN
This was actually written before the song title became the album title, but is a good representation of the heart behind this record. Again, this song has a bit of that 90's feel to it that I love--that raw rock appeal. Lyrically, in the verses, I set it up so each phrase was a play on words, like “I’m a loser, if that means I’ve been lost before,” “I’m a monster, if that means I’m misunderstood,” etc. I remember being so enamored by the old original Universal monsters characters, like Frankenstein for instance, and the fact that he only appeared to be a monster, but was actually there to help.
The title speaks to me in a different way when I think about my faith, and how the Bible says we need to die to self, to really live. It’s all about forgiveness. We’ve been through a lot of transition this past year as a band. Thank God for His strength. He keeps giving us a second wind when we need it.
BE SOMEBODY
This one still gives me chills. It was the first song written for the new record. I had been trying to hone in on what this record should sound like, what it should feel like, etc, and I started to get frustrated. I was shooting in 10 different directions and wasn’t happy with my shots. I remember going out to the deck, pulling my hair out, and looking up at the stars, and just crying out to God, wondering why I was feeling this way, why the uncertainty in direction? I’m blessed to not be very acquainted with “writer’s block;” it seems to never stop coming. I give God all the glory for that and am grateful, although it’s sometimes very annoying when I can't shut it off! I remember hearing God say, “Go back,” so I went inside and pulled out our first two independent albums. I remember listening to “Small Town” and “Lift It” again for the first time in years, and was standing there in tears. God’s anointing was still on those songs. I needed to get my head out of “what makes a great song,” and just write from the heart. I shared this with my wife, and she said, “Why don’t you write about this? About how the Holy Spirit speaks to you and how you feel right now.” It hit me like a brick. So I went upstairs and sat down with an acoustic for the rest of the night and wrote this song. This song is as honest as it gets.
COURTESY CALL
The inspiration for this song was to take a hard rock song into the club. The intro and the initial lyrics and melody, “Heyo, here comes the danger up in this club...etc,” was written a few years ago for a possible album intro to Welcome To The Masquerade, and never ended up being used. I still loved it and the idea of adding a hint of “club” to a hard rock song, so I wrote a song around it and kept the same title. I love strings when they’re used tastefully, and I think they add that extra layer of dynamics here–it’s a very theatric song. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. The lyrics also carry on that militant theme–“there’s a rumble in the floor, so get prepared for war...”
WAR OF CHANGE
This song embodies the heart and soul of this record both physically and spiritually. I think it captures that urgency--that there are wars going on all around us and inside us. There’s something beautiful about “the sound of change,” and I think this song covers those ideals and the essence of battle. Change can be beautiful and painstaking, but rarely is it comfortable.
LET THE SPARKS FLY
This is another firecracker, more of an adrenaline rock song. I couldn’t help but picture NASCAR drivers flying by on the track to this. I love big, anthemic songs that are calls to action--so this one is case and point.
ALL I NEED TO KNOW
This is one of a few songs on this record that may catch some people off guard at a first glance, but I love that about it. I’ve never been a fan of one-dimensional records, and each time we enjoy pushing the boundary further as to who TFK is. You have to follow your inspiration. I love this song, and am excited to share it with you. It’s an honest love song that hopefully people will be able to feel and step into. Love is vulnerable, and I think this paints that picture well. To me, this is a worship song.
FLY ON THE WALL
This song is pretty outside the box for us, both musically and vocally, but the essence of it isn’t. We enjoyed the challenge. It’s the first TFK song where strings play the musical lead in the verses instead of the guitar. This song is about someone speaking to their addictions and written from the point of view of me describing it in a dream. When I picture us singing this chorus together, speaking to our addictions, mountains and vices, it gives me chills. It’s the scene in the movie when someone walks out of the darkness into the light.
I GET WICKED
I know what you’re thinking...the word “Wicked” can be associated with a million negative things, but for me, as a Canadian, it has always been a word associated with something great--no different than the word “awesome” or “going to the fence,” “giving it all you got” so to speak. I was inspired to write this based on the saying, “Don’t mistake kindness for weakness.” I heard that once, and it’s always resonated with me. I think as Christians, we can tend to be too nice, and let people walk all over us. This isn’t a song promoting violence or anything of that nature, it’s more of a statement, saying, “my faith’s my life, but that doesn’t mean you can walk all over me.”
DOWN
This song is about coming up, about every person who doubted, every time you had to put your head up, grin and bear it, when no one else believed. It’s about being driven, following your passions and calling, and not taking “no” for an answer. I give God all the glory for what we’ve endured. If you do the possible, He will take care of the impossible.
SO FAR GONE
This is a very intimate song. It’s a love song, and my way of saying, “I can’t get enough of you.” It’s a worship song to me. There’s not a day in my life when I don't need God more and want to get closer.
