Sadness Will Sear

Album: The Crusade (2006)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was written about Matthew Shepard, a gay college student. On October 7, 1998, he was at a bar and befriended Russel Henderson and Aaron McKiney (the wolves). He asked them for a ride home, but they took him out into a remote area, tied him to a fence, robbed and severely beat him. Shepard was later found by a bicyclist who at first mistook him for a scarecrow; Shepard was in a coma. Matthew Shepard lay in a hospital bed on life support until he died at 12:53 a.m. on October 12, 1998. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Taryn - Petersburg, TX
  • In 2008 the Dutch band, a balladeer, recorded "Poster Child," which also tells Matthew Shepard's tragic story.

Comments: 5

  • Nick Jamez from PenrithMan, it's SOOO f--king sickening and heartbreaking to think that homophobia & society were once so conservative and prevalent to the point where a hate crime this savage would be committed. The fact that that is true makes me feel both furious and nauseated.

    What makes me feel worse about it is that it happened on my seventh birthday.
  • David from FranceConfirmed by Matt during Deepest Cuts II twitch live show
  • Justin from Kalamazoo, MiThats one of the reasons I love Trivium so much. Heafy has at least 3 different voices, scream, hard, and melody. He kills all of them. My favorites are the songs where he uses all 3 of them.
  • Mike from Denver, CoYou don't need to scream to make metal music. i love screaming vocals, but singing is not one bit worse or better. btw this song is depressing :( who could just do that like it means nothing?
  • Nick from Cairns, AustraliaSad song meanng. I've heard that the song refered to that story of Matthew Shepard. Although I read it off Wikipedia, and I'm a bit curious of that website sometimes. I might admit, some of their information is fairly accurate, but others aren't and it's easy to tell. For them, i guess it's just a matter of if they can't find as much information, they just make their own stuff up. I don't know, I could be wrong. But its obvious when you check out the "Highest-Selling Artists" Web page on Wikipedia. I don't think they can track the information, of each artist, and update their information if need be. Heck, they even have pop-ups that'll tell you that "this website needs updating" and so on.

    Anyway, back to the main topic, sadness will sear is awesome, I love that low and aggresive chorus riff and the freaky vocal tones Matt Heafy sings throughout the verses. Frankly, i don't care if "The Crusade" didn't have as much screaming. I mean, in regards to the fan's response to the crusade, i guess it goes to show how much of an important factor screaming is in nowaday's metal. Not that I hate the screaming style. :)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.