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.
Origins and Miracles
Frameshift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With that I can't agree
This had to start somewhere
That much is clear to me
All this complexity
Traced back to one event
A single moment of
Origins and miracles
In a universe of chance
Copying mistakes are made
So we can advance
Take a mountain of rust
And wait for a breeze
You'll still never see a wind that builds
A perfect machine
A universe without design
Or an entity that's blind
Who built a world without a plan
No final form in mind
In the end there is no goal
Only a chain of questions
Be one of those who answer them
Turn off copy protection
Origins and miracles
In a universe of chance
Copying mistakes are made
So we can advance
Origins and miracles
Haunt us day by day
We can make some sense of all
It can be explained
Primate armies slave away
Writing infinitely
Still they can not create
What Shakespeare wrote so easily
Origins and miracles
In a universe of chance
Copying mistakes are made
So we can advance
Origins and miracles
Haunt us day by day
We can make some sense of all
It can be explained
The lyrics of Frameshift's song "Origins and Miracles" reflect the philosophical and scientific debate about the origin of life and the principles that govern the universe. The opening lines "Life was always there, With that I can't agree" suggests a skeptical view of the concept of eternal life or an external creator. The singer recognizes that the universe originates from a single event, and the complexity of life and the world results from that event's consequences. The verse "A universe without design, Or an entity that's blind, Who built a world without a plan" challenges the notion of an intentional or purposeful design in the creation of the universe.
The chorus "Origins and miracles, In a universe of chance, Copying mistakes are made, So we can advance" emphasizes the idea that the universe operates by chance, and the progress is fueled by the repeating cycle of mistakes, correction, and innovation. The verse "Take a mountain of rust and wait for a breeze, You'll still never see a wind that builds a perfect machine" implies the idea that the natural world's randomness and imperfections are also the source of its beauty and possibility.
In conclusion, "Origins and Miracles" is a thought-provoking song that questions the traditional beliefs about godly creation, fate and destiny. The song suggests that the universe follows the rules of chaos and uncertainty, but encourages a quest for knowledge and discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
Life was always there
I disagree with the belief that life has always existed.
With that I can't agree
I do not share the idea that life is eternal.
This had to start somewhere
Something initiated the beginning of life.
That much is clear to me
I am certain of the fact that there was a starting point for life.
All this complexity
The world we live in is highly intricate.
Traced back to one event
The complexity of the world we know today originated from a single incident.
A single moment of
This particular event took place in an ephemeral time frame.
Naked coincidence
The event that led to the beginning of all things was just a blend of chance happenings.
Origins and miracles
The start and continuation of existence are remarkable, awe-inspiring occurrences.
In a universe of chance
The probability that things came to be this way by accident is incredibly high.
Copying mistakes are made
Replicating errors occur so progress and evolution can happen.
So we can advance
It is through trial and error that we are capable of improving and progressing.
Take a mountain of rust
Even with a pile of corroded metal, it is impossible to happen upon a wind machine.
And wait for a breeze
Even if a breeze arrives, it will not have the capability of creating a wind machine.
You'll still never see a wind that builds
It is not in the power of natural elements like wind to construct a complicated machine.
A perfect machine
An intricately designed device that operates at the height of efficiency.
A universe without design
The current state of the world is not the work of a creator but instead is a result of chance events.
Or an entity that's blind
There is no supernatural force making the universe what it is today.
Who built a world without a plan
The world we live in was not created with a predetermined plan.
No final form in mind
There is no end goal for what life and the world should be like.
In the end there is no goal
When it comes to human existence and advancement, there is no final destination.
Only a chain of questions
The journey of life is full of queries, but there is no end to the path of questioning.
Be one of those who answer them
Attempt to be someone who can find answers to these profound questions.
Turn off copy protection
Have an open mind and be willing to make errors so as to learn and evolve.
Haunt us day by day
Every day we encounter mysteries and events that surprise us.
We can make some sense of all
Though mysteries are plentiful, humans possess the capability to comprehend and explain them.
It can be explained
There is a rational explanation behind even the most complex phenomena.
Primate armies slave away
Despite being a highly developed species, humans struggle to replicate the simplicity and elegance of some animal behaviors.
Writing infinitely
Humans possess the remarkable ability to keep track of and document any and all findings.
Still they can not create
Despite this capability to store knowledge, humans cannot recreate or reenact some events.
What Shakespeare wrote so easily
Humans struggle to replicate the simple elegance and ease of even the most straightforward accomplishments.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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