Phantoms
Bitter End Lyrics

In "Phantoms" by Bitter End, the lyrics seemingly allude to the fragility and illusory nature of one's own thoughts, and the importance of staying grounded in the reality of the present moment. The opening lyrics "Trace the line backwards, see where the illusion begins" suggests that the persona is urging someone to examine the roots of what may be causing their destructive thoughts and behaviors- and potentially, to try to uproot them. The line "born in the mind, the false existence has no end" could be interpreted as saying that these detrimental patterns of thought are self-constructed and, as such, are potentially never-ending. This creates a sense of urgency in the persona, who fears that the longer this illusory world is allowed to persist, the more time the person is wasting on a reality that isn't truly real.

The chorus of "Phantoms"-- "Time will show. Years move forward. As you step further back. Time will show. I possess all that you lack"-- addresses the fundamental truth that time will always continue to press forward. If a person is stuck in a self-created, warped reality, they're inevitably missing out on the present moment- and soon enough, that moment will have passed them by. In this way, the individual will have lost more than just their grip on reality-- they'll have lost precious time that they can never get back. It's clear that the persona of the song is both worried for the person they're addressing, but also somewhat frustrated with them, as evidenced by the line "I'll never understand why you let the weakness flow." Ultimately, the song "Phantoms" asks the listener to examine their own thought processes, and to try to stay grounded in their actual reality- before it's too late.