“Broken Throne” By If Not For Me Tells A Deeply Personal Story
- Ann Schlottman
- 54 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Written by: Annie Schlottman Photo credit: Brendan McGlathery/Preta Path Productions
Pennsylvania metalcore band If Not For Me has released a new single called “Broken Throne”, via Thriller Records, along with a visualizer video. This song is sure to be another hit with the loyal INFM fan base, as like all of this band’s music, it’s centered around a relatable topic and includes the heavy instrumentals, thunderous breakdown, and vocal melodies this quartet has become known for.
If Not For Me band members include: Patrick Glover (vocals); Hayden Calhoun (guitar); Zac Allen (bass); and Cody Frain (drums). This band is comprised of some of the most talented and respected individuals in the Central Pennsylvania music scene. The members are multi-talented and share their talents and knowledge outside of their own band to enrich the scene and keep the creativity alive.
In March 2024 If Not For Me released their very successful Everything You Wanted album. Later that year, in November, they dropped the single “Say It To My Face”, a collaboration with Left To Suffer, plus a spectacular music video to go along with it. “Broken Throne” is the second single for If Not For Me in 2026, and the third since October.
“Broken Throne” explores religious trauma and the internal struggle with questioning the beliefs you were raised on. This is a very personal story for If Not For Me’s vocalist, Patrick Glover. He shares that he was raised going to church, and though he still to this day carries the lessons and values that were instilled in him, he has also seen the negative side and that things are not always what they seem.
“Although church is where I first learned of the saving power of love and acceptance, it is also where I learned hate and discrimination of those who are different. I realized that the God I was taught about had no room for hatred, and He didn’t call on us to cast judgement, but to lift each other up.”
Many of the lyrics of “Broken Throne” come directly from Patrick’s childhood experiences, and feel relatable to anyone who had a similar upbringing. The first verse is about being molded from an early age into blindly thinking a certain way, while still questioning it also. The second verse touches on feeling lost but continuing to “follow the patriarch” because it’s all you know. The line “There’s no sign of life in this starlit sky” reflects knowing the stories but the losing their meaning.
Ultimately, Patrick says the breakdown delivers the key message of the song.
“Jesus said 'By their fruit you will recognize them', meaning our character is not made up of what we say or believe, but by our actions. So when given the choice, choose kindness and compassion always.”
“Broken Throne” was written by the band members of If Not For Me, along with Curtis Martin and Trevor Stewart. The track was produced by Curtis, and mixed and mastered by Nick Matzkows. “Broken Throne” is the perfect combination of complex guitar riffs and thunderous drums, combined with Patrick’s sublime singing and powerful hard vocals.
The song starts out with a haunting ambience, which fits with the theme of the song of reflecting on your past and how it has shaped your current beliefs and values. The progression of the track builds up to the crescendo in the breakdown, when Patrick’s hard vocals and the heavy instrumentals emphasize the emotions of the song.
Like all of If Not For Me’s songs, this one no doubt will resonate deeply with listeners. Fans of this band are drawn into their themes of sadness, depression, anger, relationship issues, and so on. Realizing that you are not alone in your struggles and that many other people, including members of your favorite band, are going through the same things you are, is comforting and gives you a feeling of solidarity.
We have all felt unaccepted or like outcasts at one point or another. Recognizing that someone else is going through it and offering them love and grace and acceptance is a way to unite us all. And if you find yourself in a situation that does not reflect these values, it’s okay to question it and maybe even distance yourself from it.
Last year was busy for If Not For Me, and it looks like 2026 is going be the same. The band started out the early part of 2025 on tour as support for Catch Your Breath, along with Archers and The Funeral Portrait.
In the spring of 2025, If Not For Me had the amazing opportunity to go on tour in Europe and the UK with Make Them Suffer, Resolve, and Conjurer. This was a life-changing experience for the band, and the experience earned them a lot of new fans all over the world who were blown away by their live set. They documented their journey on social media through photos and videos by Brendan McGlathery of Preta Path Productions, and their followers loved keeping up with their adventures as they saw the world.
Last summer, If Not For Me was part of the Summer School Tour with Taylor Acorn, Rain City Drive, Charlotte Sands, Beauty School Dropout, and Arrows In Action, and they also performed at Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, California.
After playing at Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky in September, the band set out on tour with headliner Memphis May Fire, along with Rain City Drive and Nevertel. If Not For Me closed out 2025 by performing at a hometown Christmas show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania headlined by From Ashes To New, which also included Pennsylvania bands What Lies Below and Twist It.
If Not For Me will kick off their 2026 touring season at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida Saturday, May 9th. They will then head out as one of three rotating headliners along with Windwaker and Colorblind on The Hounds Of The Underground Tour throughout May and into the early part of June. In addition to playing at Inkcarceration Festival in Mansfield, Ohio Friday, July 17th, the band will once again be doing a run with Memphis May Fire in July, along with CASKETS and Royale Lynn.
Fans of If Not For Me will have plenty of opportunities to see them live in 2026. There will undoubtedly be more tours and shows announced for later in the year. Will there be more new music, and even possibly a new album? That remains to be seen. Stay tuned to the band’s socials, where they are very interactive with their fans, so you can stay up to date.
