The underlying idea was to achieve three goals:
1. Produce an album featuring James LaBrie in ways that no one has heard him before;
2. Combine the elements of progressive rock, film scoring and very modern production;
3. Use the work of Richard Dawkins (one of today's most influential neo-Darwinist writers) as a concept that connects all the pieces on the album.
Its second album, called An Absence of Empathy, had the vocals of Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row). The basic concept behind An Absence of Empathy, was initiated by Shawn Gordon, president of ProgRock Records. Several years ago, he played keyboards for the band Zircadian; they had a partially written concept album under the name Prophet Savant, which led to the initial idea for An Absence of Empathy. In the original storyline, a man experiences different forms of violence because he becomes a kind of seer. They had written a song for an epic battle and two torture scenes.
In countless e-mails and meetings (one including Stephan Kernbach from Chain), Shawn and Henning Pauly developed this idea into the storyline and concept that is now the foundation of the new Frameshift album. They first dropped the mystical approach; then, by distancing the concept from being a story around a person, and instead focusing on what that person experiences, the story portrayed a more realistic situation. In this respect, like Unweaving the Rainbow, the album actually does not have a real storyline. Instead, it is a series of songs revolving around the same topic.
An Absence of Empathy: The Concept
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent"
This quote illustrates what this album is about. It is about violence -- human violence, to be precise. It is ever-present and, in varying degrees, ingrained in all of us. Just like wood grain, violence is inherent to our nature, but the question is, what factors determine who lets is show through and how does it show itself?
The same questions haunt the protagonist of An Absence of Empathy. He is a curious individual who wants to know why the media is filled with news about murder, rape and war -- and he is afraid that he might have the potential for violence himself. He starts to research the subject, but it isn't enough. It can't show him what motivates the person that acts violently or what plagues them, and it doesn't make him feel the pain of the victims. His desire to understand one of humanity's most basic traits leads to a series of vivid dreams - dreams that appear to be so real that he can't escape this dreamworld until it is all over. In them, he becomes the killer, he becomes the rapist, he becomes the soldier, he becomes the mother crying for her daughter who was raped.
The first song introduces the theme and illustrates how our main character is plagued by his questions about humanity's major flaw. He starts a journey into the minds of other people to experience violence firsthand. At the end of the album, he draws his own conclusions, and asks himself if there is nothing else to us besides hurting each other. The answer he finds is worthy of discovery.
An Absence of Empathy takes you into the psyche of several different people who are either experiencing or acting out violence. Each form of violence is dealt with in two songs, each one shedding light on a different point view of the scenario. For example, one song illustrates a torture scene from the point of view of the torturer; its counterpoint takes you into the same room, this time from the point of view of the tortured. Another pairing is about violence in schools. One song deals with a teacher using psychological violence towards his students (who then rebel), while the other song is about a school shooting.
Just One More
Frameshift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To act unethically
When I think I've killed enough
A voice is waking up
Propaganda in my head
Another woman dead
Tunnel vision no white light
Giving in to avoid a fight
Control of everything
That happens on this stage
A puppet of their rage
I try to run away
Desire makes me stay
Every time I try to turn my back
I find them still attached
Tell me is it really sin if all I do is just give in
Gimme just one more that's all I need
To quench this thirst inside of me
Feeling satisfied but beyond the door
The need still cries give me
Just one more
Guilt is forcing me
To act desperately
Must add to my collection
Still improving my reflection
On the outside I appear
There is not a thing to fear
In the basement with my tools
Gotta check your principles
When I work I feel the rush
Dead and living things I touch
Use my skill to take apart
Creating twisted works of art
I know there'll come a day
I might give this away
I'll have to make a choice
Bear the shame or blame the voice
Gimme just one more don't take it back
The next one's gonna be
The best we ever had
Feeling satisfied before the final score
I'll be begging you for just one more
And at their graves they don't mention me
Even though I'm the one
Who put them to sleep
I'll make my name in privacy
For you and I it's time to meet – hello
The need still cries – grant me
Just one more
The song "Just One More" by Frameshift is about a person who is struggling with guilt while doing something unethical. This person is conflicted with their conscience, as they continue to give in to their desires despite the consequences. The lyrics suggest that the person is being controlled by external forces, represented as "Masters" who pull their strings and have control over everything that happens on their stage. The person is depicted as a puppet, controlled by their desires and unable to break free.
The guilt is causing the person to act desperately, adding to their collection and improving their reflection. They are depicted as someone who enjoys taking apart dead and living things and using their skills to create twisted works of art. Despite feeling satisfied, the person acknowledges that the need for one more is still there, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill that need.
The song highlights the internal struggle of balancing desires and conscience, with a warning that giving in to one's desires can have serious consequences. It highlights the importance of recognizing and resisting external pressures and making ethical choices, regardless of the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Guilt is forcing me
I feel guilty and it's making me do things I know are wrong
To act unethically
I'm doing things that are not morally right
When I think I've killed enough
I've gone too far, but it feels like it's not enough
A voice is waking up
A part of me knows what I'm doing is wrong and is telling me to stop
Propaganda in my head
I'm getting influenced by outside sources that are telling me what to do
Another woman dead
I've caused harm to someone else
Tunnel vision no white light
I can't see a way out of this, I'm stuck in this cycle of guilt and wrongdoing
Giving in to avoid a fight
I'm doing these things to avoid conflict, but it's not worth it
Masters pull my strings
I'm being controlled by someone else
Control of everything
They have complete power over me
That happens on this stage
My life is being controlled like a performance
A puppet of their rage
I am being used as a tool for someone else's anger
I try to run away
I attempt to escape but it's difficult
Desire makes me stay
My inner desires prevent me from leaving this harmful situation
Every time I try to turn my back
I try to leave but it's hard to do so
I find them still attached
The control they have over me is still strong
Tell me is it really sin if all I do is just give in
I wonder if giving into their control is really wrong if it's the only way out
Gimme just one more that's all I need
My addiction to doing these unethical things requires just one more act to satisfy it
To quench this thirst inside of me
I need to do this to feel fulfilled
Feeling satisfied but beyond the door
I know that even though I feel content now, there will be more to come
The need still cries give me
I still have a strong desire to continue doing these things
Guilt is forcing me
I know what I'm doing is wrong and that is making me desperate
To act desperately
I'm willing to do anything to satisfy these unethical desires
Must add to my collection
I need to have more and more of these unethical acts to feel fulfilled
Still improving my reflection
I see these unethical acts as a way to improve myself, even though it's not true
On the outside I appear
Other people see me as normal
There is not a thing to fear
No one knows what I'm really doing
In the basement with my tools
I'm secretly doing these unethical things in my own space
Gotta check your principles
I'm questioning your own morals and ethics by doing these things
When I work I feel the rush
I get a high from doing these unethical acts
Dead and living things I touch
I cause harm to both the living and the dead
Use my skill to take apart
I'm using my skills for unethical means
Creating twisted works of art
I see these unethical things as creative
I know there'll come a day
I'm aware that this will all come to an end eventually
I might give this away
There's a possibility that I will try to escape from this cycle of abuse
I'll have to make a choice
I will have to decide what I value more
Bear the shame or blame the voice
Either way, I'll have to face the consequences of my actions
Gimme just one more don't take it back
I need one more unethical act and I can't go back on it
The next one's gonna be
This next act will be even worse, but I'm still doing it
The best we ever had
I see these unethical acts as a way to improve myself
Feeling satisfied before the final score
I feel content now but I know there will be more to come
I'll be begging you for just one more
Even though I know what I'm doing is wrong, I can't resist doing it again
And at their graves they don't mention me
These people I've harmed will never know it was me
Even though I'm the one
I caused their death but remain anonymous
Who put them to sleep
I caused their death in a way that resembled sleep
I'll make my name in privacy
I'll continue to do these unethical things without anyone knowing
For you and I it's time to meet – hello
I'm talking to the listener and letting them know that I'm aware of them
The need still cries – grant me
My addiction to doing unethical things continues and I can't help but indulge in it
Contributed by Benjamin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.