shut your mouth and open your eyes
13 songs
released november 11, 1997 on nitro records

this is their third full length album. the music and lyrical subject matter begin progressing into a darker, harder over all sound. geoff left afi after their spring 1997 tour, so hunter burgan ( aka :  steve angel, previously of the force ) fills in on the bass. "last caress", a cover of a misfits song, is the extra, vinyl only track. guest vocals on "a single second" are provided by long-time friend, nick 13 ( previously of influence 13 and currently heading up tiger army ). future guitar player, jade puget, also provides backing vocals.

Lyrics and Tracklist:

KEEPING OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT (AN INTRODUCTION)
THREE REASONS
A SINGLE SECOND
pH LOW
LET IT BE BROKE
THIRD SEASON
LOWER YOUR HEAD AND TAKE IT IN THE BODY
COIN RETURN
THE NEW PATRON SAINTS AND ANGELS
THREE SECONDS NOTICE
SALT FOR YOUR WOUNDS
TODAY'S LESSON
THE DEVIL LOVES YOU
TRIPLE ZERO
LAST CARESS

KEEPING OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT (AN INTRODUCTION)

We are the ones with the radiating eyes.
We are the ones who have a fire inside.
We are the ones only we can recognize.
We've been rejected

Suffered the ignorance
Suffered the selfishness
Been pushed so far down now comes our time to surface
Turn from the light
That made them all go blind
We've been protected

All arise
To what we bring
Outstreched hands
Unfolded wings
We've hurt ourselves
And I feel the sting
Of broken hearts...
And burning wings...

THREE REASONS

Where were you?
Say you were gone? Well
Ask me and I'll swear you were there all along
Another place? Another state?
At any rate I can't relate
There's no two ways, you're a disgrace

Drown down your fear
Suffocate every spark of clarity
Your weakness
Sickens me
Saddens me
Strengthens me
There's no way to free responsibility

Who's to blame?
Who's in the wrong? The truth from which you hide it was you all along
You were there, you didn't care
And your heart and mind were self impaired
Now, all that's left is our despair.

A SINGLE SECOND

Oh my God!
My God this can't be happening!
God tell me
Tell me this isn't real!
I can't believe all that I have foreseen is finally happening
I cannot for a single second stand the way I feel

I always knew
I always saw it coming
Enveloped now
Encased by my worst fear
I've never felt the nausea of longing to feel nothing
I never wanted to cease to exist, just disappear

Fear memories are all that lie ahead
Never have I felt so lost
Memories dull my senses
Fear tragedy is all that lies ahead
Never have I felt so dead

Once felt so warm
Now I'm fucking freezing
I am the once
Embraced abandoned one
I raised my eyes up to the light in hopes of finding healing
No relief was mine, I was burnt
By the sun

pH LOW

So quickly draining away
If you could only hear all the things you used to say
Consumed now by what you knew was poisonous
Quenching your thirst for life

Will you die for me?
Will you live for me?

Kill aspirations away
Embrace a dream that was a nightmare only yesterday
True friends forgotten and all hopes been traded in
Exchanged for what?
For what?
For what?

All at once, all is lost
All is lost.

LET IT BE BROKE

I live in truth
Complacently
Where's the threat you see in me?
Am I the cause of your self consciousness?
You scream at me
'Cause I can't ignore
The
Destructiveness that you support
'Cause my life's contrary
To yours

No soft words from my mouth
A glazed look in your eyes
I
Live in the world of reality
You comfort yourself with lies

I will release myself
I will detach myself
From you
I will detach myself
From your kind

I've seen your life
But I can't see
How it is that you can be
So content in your own ignorance
Its been so dark
For so long
Now a new light has come along
Illuminating all
So shut your eyes

I won't tell you what you want to hear
I will show you what's real
I will, will defy.

THIRD SEASON

Can you feel the pulse?
Can you feel the heat rising from below?
Can you feel the energy?
Gaining strength
Oh so slowly

But I'll wait
I'll wait
Till the seasons change
I'll wait
Till the fall comes

And I'll give you a mirthless laugh

Can you see the signs?
Can you see the changing of the winds?
Can you see the stillness in the air?
Calm will remain
Oh so shortly

Gonna take you by
Gonna take you by surprise
As it rises

LOWER YOUR HEAD AND TAKE IT IN THE BODY

Drowned in flames is where I can be found
My nose broke from being smashed into the ground
What a waste
This place I call my home

Escape this place
And break out on my own!
I'm still reaching
Try to slap me down, but I'll still hold

In the fray is where I can be found
My head is bruised from always being knocked around
What a fight
This life I call my own!

Escape this life, and break out on my own!
I'm still reaching!
Try to slap me down, but I'll still hold
I'll hold my own

COIN RETURN

I have slipped
And I have fallen
So far down I can't get out

Overwhelmed by my doubt

Things I said I'd never do I've done
Those I said I'd never be I've become

I have broken
I'm still breaking
Cracked and wrecked, beyond repair

I can see that no one cares

Forgotten
Recalled
Smacks me in the face every time I fall

I cannot disregard
With each new fall I hit twice as hard

Would you be there for me?
I would
Would you look up to see?
I would
Falling forward and looking up

THE NEW PATRON SAINTS AND ANGELS

I've seen the light that emanates from you
And it makes me feel proud
A voice of reason above the muffling crowds
Such will to live and you've got so much to give
Long lost sincerity

Lost in a world that's been scorched to black
Lost in myself until I finally find
A guide in you, and gratitude is mine
I admire the way...

Stare down the day from which others shield their eyes
With complete clarity
And no trace of apathy
So positive
And your heart you freely give
Long lost vivacity

Lost in a world that's been scorched to black
Lost in myself until I finally find
A guide in you, and gratitude is mine
I admire the way you shine.

THREE SECONDS NOTICE

Submission
My back hurts from bowing down
Attraction
Was once so strong now can't be found
Affection
One gift I wish you would return
Frustration
As I accede

I do not deserve your frigidness
Such callousness, yet I persist
What's wrong with me?

I told you "you can't be replaced"
You showed me I'm disposable
Spit in my face, as I submit
So I
Quit!

SALT FOR YOUR WOUNDS

There's a tear in my heart where the blood ran out
There's a tear in my heart where the love ran out
I thought we worked, pushed toward the same ends
I'll never be so quick to trust again

Disenchanted
Disgusted
I regret that I trusted
I put my faith
My faith in you
You poisoned me through and through

I thought we both shared the same injuries
Now I've found it's you who injures me
My heart is cracked from being left out in the cold
I know you'll pay for what you've taken
Tenfold

Disenchanted, disgusted
I regret that I trusted
I put my faith
My faith in them
They twisted the knife further in

TODAY'S LESSON (FILTH COVER)

Here is your lesson for today
You better listen up real fucking good!

My cloud always has a silver lining
And I love everything that I see
My world is wonderful and no one
Could ever, ever hurt me

You hate yourself
You do
And that's why I hate you
So now I hate you

Have you learned your life's lesson yet?
No? Well let me tell you something
I am your teacher
You have a lot to learn from me you must love yourself
You are my teacher you teach me about my life
Theres a lot I can learn from you
And that's why right now I love you...
So fuck you!

THE DEVIL LOVES YOU

Do you understand what I'm trying to say?
Have you ever felt? Have you ever felt this way?
Tainted with rage you can't drain away
Or it will cost you your life

I couldn't care more

Do you ever absorb what shouldn't be touched?
Have you ever cared?
Ever cared this much?
Do you think it is I who is out of touch
Or are you too scared to think at all?

I couldn't care more

As your friends fall does it tear your heart?
Do tears fill your eyes as your world falls apart?
Do you notice at all
Or are you sailing sublime?
Am I completely alone?

TRIPLE ZERO

It burns!
It burns!
It burns my eyes and throat
But I need no antidote
Gnawing and tearing at my insides
Seething, keeping me alive
Hatred poisons me through and through
A sustanance
Keeping me true

It's not too late
It's never gonna be too late
Embrace your hate

The pain!
The pain it crushes me
I gain animosity
Acid sweat and bloody tears
Through it all I preserve
Some sedate through indifference
But I withheld zero tolerance

LAST CARESS (MISFITS COVER)

I got something to say
I killed a baby today and it
Doesn't matter much to me
As long as it's dead

Well I got something to say
I raped your mother today and it
Doesn't matter much to me
As long as she spread

Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Come sweet death, one last caress
Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Come sweet death, one last caress