The Old Me

Last updated
"The Old Me"
Single by Memphis May Fire
from the album Broken
ReleasedSeptember 18, 2018 (2018-09-18)
Recorded2018
Length3:09
Label Rise
Songwriter(s) Matty Mullins
Memphis May Fire singles chronology
"Wanting More"
(2017)
"The Old Me"
(2018)
"Live Another Day"
(2019)

"The Old Me" is a song by American rock band Memphis May Fire. It serves as the first single off of their sixth studio album Broken . It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in March 2019.

Contents

Background

The song is the first single from the band's sixth studio album, Broken . [1] It was first released on September 21, 2018, almost two months before the album's release. [1] A music video was later released for the song on November 6, 2018. [2] The video, directed by Caleb Mallery, is meant to match the song's meaning and represent an internal struggle with oneself, according to frontman Matty Mullins. [3]

Composition and themes

The song features heavy guitar riffs and palm muting and deep drum beat that builds into a chorus with soaring clean vocals, along with a brief bridge with screamed vocals. [4] Loudwire described it as an "energetic" track with a "catchy chorus" with a pleading chorus of “Tell me that I’m gonna be fine and there’s nothing left to fear/Cause I’ve been losing sleep/Trying to get back to who I used to be/Where is the old me?”. [5] Mullins described the song of being about his personal struggles with anxiety and depression. [2]

"'The Old Me'" is about my struggle with anxiety and depression. What feels like a war between good and evil, loathing the person I become mentally when it consumes me, and trying to remember what life was like before I lived with the symptoms. Ultimately hoping to one day become that person —’The Old Me’— again." [1]

The song's music video was meant to mirror the message, with Mullins describing it as representing "the two versions of myself that are constantly at war with each other." [2]

Reception

HM magazine had mixed feelings on the song, citing it as representative of the album of a whole - lyrically genuine, but "rarely dig[ging] deeper than the surface". [6]

Personnel

Band

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard )19 [7]

Related Research Articles

Down with the Sickness 2000 single by Disturbed

"Down with the Sickness" is a song by American heavy metal band Disturbed. It was recorded in 1999 and released as the second single from the band's debut studio album, The Sickness. "Down with the Sickness" is one of Disturbed's best-known songs and is a concert staple, usually played as the last song. This was Disturbed's first single to be certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The Amity Affliction Australian post-hardcore band

The Amity Affliction is an Australian metalcore band from Gympie, Queensland, formed in 2003. The band's current line-up consists of Ahren Stringer, Joel Birch, Dan Brown (guitar) and Joe Longobardi (drums). The Amity Affliction has released seven studio albums including Severed Ties (2008), Youngbloods (2010), Chasing Ghosts (2012), Let the Ocean Take Me (2014), This Could Be Heartbreak (2016) and Misery (2018), the latter four debuting at number one on the ARIA charts. They are known for their highly personal songs, often dealing with depression, anxiety, death, substance abuse, and suicide, many lyrics stemming from vocalist Joel Birch's past struggles.

Memphis May Fire

Memphis May Fire is an American metalcore band formed in Denton, Texas and currently signed to Rise Records. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, lead vocalist Matty Mullins, bassist Cory Elder, and drummer Jake Garland. Formed in 2006, they have released six studio albums and two EPs to date. Their fourth album, Unconditional, debuted at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200 and atop the Alternative Albums chart.

<i>Sleepwalking</i> (Memphis May Fire album) 2009 studio album by Memphis May Fire

Sleepwalking is the debut full-length studio album by American metalcore band Memphis May Fire. The album was released through Trustkill Records on July 21, 2009. This album is the first album to feature lead vocalist Matty Mullins after former lead vocalist Chase Ryan left the band in 2008. Scheduled to be released summer 2008, the release got delayed because of the line-up change. Mullins has described the album as "a new breed of rock 'n' roll" and musically it has "more aggressive guitar work and noticeably more melodic, but still retains that southern swagger."

<i>The Hollow</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Memphis May Fire

The Hollow is the second studio album by American metalcore band Memphis May Fire. It was released on April 26, 2011, through Rise Records. The album is the band's first release on the label.

<i>Challenger</i> (Memphis May Fire album) 2012 studio album by Memphis May Fire

Challenger is the third full-length album by American metalcore band Memphis May Fire which was released June 26, 2012 via Rise Records. The band released the first single, "Prove Me Right," on May 24. They also released the 5th track on the album, "Vices," on June 13 as the second single from the album. On June 18, all of the songs were uploaded to YouTube on the Rise Records page. The album debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 18,000 copies in its first week.

<i>Feel</i> (Sleeping with Sirens album) 2013 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

Feel is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band Sleeping with Sirens was released by June 4, 2013. This is the last album released on Rise. The entire album was produced by Cameron Mizell who had produced their debut album. It is the final album to feature rhythm guitarist Jesse Lawson after his departure from the band later in 2013. The album also features guest appearances by Fronz (Attila), Matty Mullins and Shayley Bourget.

Beartooth (band) American Hardcore Punk band

Beartooth is an American hardcore punk band formed by Caleb Shomo in Columbus, Ohio, United States, in 2012. They have been signed to Red Bull Records since 2013. Their debut EP Sick was released on July 26, 2013, followed by their debut full-length album Disgusting on June 10, 2014. Their second album Aggressive was released on June 3, 2016. Their third album Disease was released on September 28, 2018.

<i>Maximum Overload</i> 2014 studio album by DragonForce

Maximum Overload is the sixth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, which was released in Europe on 18 August 2014, and in North America the next day. Trivium vocalist Matt Heafy contributed backing vocals on three songs, including the album's first single, "The Game". The album was produced by Jens Bogren, marking the first time the band decided not to record in their own studio and with an outside producer. The album was released in three versions: standard physical or digital CD, special edition physical or digital CD, and vinyl.

Matty Mullins American rock musician (born 1988)

Matty Mullins is an American rock musician. He is the lead vocalist of Nashville-based metalcore band Memphis May Fire.

Outline in Color

Outline in Color is an American post-hardcore band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band has released four albums, two of which have reached the Billboard charts.

<i>This Light I Hold</i> 2016 studio album by Memphis May Fire

This Light I Hold is the fifth studio album by metalcore band Memphis May Fire. It was released on the October 28, 2016 by Rise Records. The album debuted at number 42 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Song on Fire 2017 single by Nickelback

"Song on Fire" is a song by Canadian rock band Nickelback. It is the second single from their ninth studio album, Feed the Machine. It was released on April 28, 2017.

"Take Me" is a single by American rock band Korn, off of their studio album The Serenity of Suffering. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in April 2017.

Bulletproof (Godsmack song) 2018 song by Godsmack

"Bulletproof" is a song by American rock band Godsmack. It was the first single off of their seventh studio album When Legends Rise.

<i>Broken</i> (Memphis May Fire album) 2018 studio album by Memphis May Fire

Broken is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Memphis May Fire, released on November 16, 2018, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up to the band's fifth studio album, This Light I Hold (2016). It is the group's first studio album since 2011's The Hollow to not feature guitarist Anthony Sepe since his departure in 2017. The album as produced by Kane Churko, the band's guitarist Kellen McGregor, and Drew Fulk and was recorded at The Hideout Studios.

Frail State of Mind 2019 song by the 1975

"Frail State of Mind" is a song by English band the 1975. It was released on 24 October 2019 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the second single, following "People" (2019), from their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form (2020). It was written by band members George Daniel, Matthew Healy, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald, while Daniel and Healy were responsible for the song's production. "Frail State of Mind" is an experimental UK garage and electronica ballad. Its ambient production is composed of a brisk dubstep beat, a heavy, shuffling drum line, cascading synths, chopped vocal melodies, and influences from a variety of electronic, modern rock, and electronic dance music subgenres. Lyrically, the single revolves around Healy's social anxiety and the themes of depression, fear, apprehensiveness, disappointment, insecurity, and anti-social behaviour.

<i>Trauma</i> (I Prevail album) 2019 studio album by I Prevail

Trauma is the second studio album by American metalcore band I Prevail, released on March 29, 2019. The album was the fourth best-selling album of the week in the US upon release, and its second single, "Breaking Down", hit the top 10 of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in May 2019. Two Grammy nominations were received in relation to the album: Trauma received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, while the song "Bow Down" received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.

"Bow Down" is a song by American metalcore band I Prevail. It was their first song released off of their second studio album Trauma. The song received a Grammy Nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Heartwork</i> (The Used album) 2020 studio album by the Used

Heartwork is the eighth studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on April 24, 2020 on Big Noise.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Memphis May Fire announce new album, drop new song "the Old Me"". 21 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Watch Memphis May Fire Battle Personal Demons in Violent "The Old Me" Video". Revolver. 6 November 2018.
  3. "Memphis May Fire Debut Dramatic New Video For "The Old Me" / the NOISE". the NOISE.
  4. "ALBUM REVIEW: Memphis May Fire – Broken - DEAD PRESS! - It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  5. Cornell, Jeff. "Memphis May Fire Announce 'Broken' Album + Unleash New Single". Loudwire.
  6. "Memphis May Fire - Broken".
  7. "Memphis May Fire Chart History". Billboard.