Boysetsfire

"Handful of Redemption" by Boysetsfire from Tomorrow Come Today

(2003)

Boysetsfire were a short-lived Deleware hardcore act that used its music to provoke both the mind and bodies of its audience. A politically-minded band at heart, Boysetsfire echoed 80s punk acts like Black Flag and Minor Threat in their cries for a unique and unconstrained life.

"Handful of Redemption" is one of Boysetsfire's most accessible tracks (for this it was included on the soundtrack to three different EA video games): The screaming is held to a minimum and the melody is soothing. However, there is nothing soothing about the message of revolt. Boysetsfire set themselves apart from other political acts in that their message did not supersede their music, or vice versa: Musicianship and cultural commentary went hand in hand, leading the band to much acclaim within the hardcore community.

The sick and tired refrain of everyday is branding itself into you
Discouragement defined by all the times when everything just falls apart
And your skeletons have broken down the door and left you there for dead
How do we find a little piece of heaven
In our time before we find acceptance
When no one understands at this point
That a handful of redemption's all we need
From remorse to rebirth finding it hard to think that this is really true
Ask how long should we wait before we take instead of waiting to be free
And all, all the fear all the anger falls away
All the days that were wasted cut and pasted fall away
Never walked so tall until that moment when fate and circumstance collide
When all it takes is a step that you never saw and burdens fall away