2002 saw the departure of Andrecht and the release of the sophomore album Ruined. The aggressive album led Phelps to recruit Sam P. and Jason DM of Los Angeles based Pulse Legion to complete the live line-up. Shortly thereafter, the growing band completed its first North American tour.
In 2004 Imperative Reaction unleashed Redemption. This album combined the rock feel of Ruined with a more club friendly sound which helped propel the first single “Giving In To The Change” to become a dance floor staple. Jason DM was replaced on keys by Clint Carney (System Syn, God Module) and the band set out on its second North American tour. The Redemption tour led to an invitation to join VNV Nation as direct support for their 2005 Formation Tour. Over the course of 36 shows Imperative Reaction transformed itself into a celebrated live act in front of over 25,000 fans.
As We Fall , released in 2006, was met with universal acclaim. Imperative Reaction joined EBM legends Covenant on their successful Skyshaper US tour. Shortly thereafter, IR was asked to join VNV Nation on their European Judgment Tour. Upon returning to the US, the band was picked to open for Combichrist on their 2007 North American tour. Further solidifying themselves as one of the premier electronic live acts, IR returned home to Los Angeles just in time to head out with psychobilly giants, Tiger Army on their US Razor’s Kiss Tour. The desire to expand and strengthen the live show led Phelps to hire Trevor Friedrich (Combichrist, Eighteen Visions, Suffer Well) to drum for the band.
In 2008, Imperative Reaction released Minus All and embarked on its most ambitious headlining tour to date. Shortly after the completion of the tour the band added guitarist/keyboardist Adam Vex (Seraphim Shock) and the live chemistry was solidified once and for all.
In 2009, the band took time off from writing to hit the road with fellow Metropolis Records artist, Psyclon Nine. The co-headlining tour, named "The Ruina Tour", saw the bands playing to capacity crowds across the US.
2010 was spent holed up in the studio creating the band’s most ambitious album to date. Imperative Reaction is an electronic rock masterpiece that showcases a band in its prime; ready to blow any preconceived notions out of the water. There is no escape.
Scorpio
Imperative Reaction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The enigma of your poison is consuming me
I'm falling so far
Your scent is so strong
The sting of your illusion
Has broken me down
You live in my mind
Seducing my eyes
My mind
My body
In all that you have
Scorpio remains delicately sad
Scorpio
So fragile inside
The tragedies of life
Have forced you to hide
The pain you suffered
The love you destroyed
Your failure to trust
Has opened this void
Scorpio
So innocent you are
The misery you embody is the pain we share
The world that you see
Through enchanting eyes
Cannot replace the beauty you are
In the face of tragedy
The stigma of your beauty is surrounding me
I've gone too far your memory lives on
You've drowned your surroundings to escape and move on
Child of the water
Your guilt is in vain
No fault is yours yet the feelings remain
The burning of desire
And the threat of release
Scorpio lies to cleanse the disease
Scorpio
So fragile inside
The tragedies of life
Have forced you to hide
The pain you suffered
The love you destroyed
Your failure to trust
Has opened this void
Scorpio
So innocent you are
The misery you embody is the pain we share
The world that you see
Through enchanting eyes
Cannot replace the beauty you are
All times left behind
Sorrow filling pain inside
You possess the courage
And the strength to conquer
These walls are falling down
Ruins crumbling to the ground
Breaking away from all the pain
All lies left behind
Sorrow is no longer mine
You possess the courage and the strength to conquer
These walls have fallen down
Ruins crumbled to the ground
Scorpio rises beyond the remains
The lyrics to Imperative Reaction's "Scorpio" speak of a person consumed by the enigma and poison of another, falling further into their trance-like hold. The scent and illusions of the other have broken them down, living in their mind and seducing their eyes. The singer of the song is deeply divided between mind and body, unable to ignore the feeling of being consumed by Scorpio, who remains "delicately sad." The chorus speaks to Scorpio's fragility and the tragedies that have caused them to hide their pain and suffer in silence. The bridge of the song provides a glimmer of hope, depicting a breaking away from sorrow and the power to conquer.
The song is rife with contrasts and dichotomies—Scorpio is both fragile and innocent, but also embodying misery and pain. The singer is both consumed by and divided from Scorpio, who both seduces and poisons them. The chorus juxtaposes the tragedy of Scorpio's pain with the beauty that they represent, and the bridge moves from "sorrow filling pain inside" to "scorpio rises beyond the remains." These contrasts speak to deeper themes of duality and complexity, suggesting that the pain and beauty of Scorpio are not mutually exclusive.
Overall, "Scorpio" is a haunting and introspective exploration of the hold that one person can have on another, as well as the fragility and strength that can reside within us all.
Line by Line Meaning
In a trance of mystery
I am captivated and confused by Scorpio's alluring presence
The enigma of your poison is consuming me
The unknowing danger of Scorpio's essence is overwhelming me
I'm falling so far
I am getting deeply entangled in Scorpio's captivating charm
Your scent is so strong
Scorpio's fragrance is so powerful that it's gripping me tightly
The sting of your illusion
The sharp and unpleasant truth behind Scorpio's allure is getting clearer to me
Has broken me down
The reality of Scorpio's dangerous charms has crushed me
You live in my mind
Scorpio's image is deeply ingrained in my thoughts
Seducing my eyes
Scorpio's looks are teasing and tempting me
I cannot ignore this feeling that divides
I cannot shake off this sensation that's tearing me apart
My mind
My thoughts and emotions
My body
My physical and sensual impulses
In all that you have
In everything that makes Scorpio who they are
Scorpio remains delicately sad
Scorpio is still vulnerable and sorrowful despite their strong appearance
Scorpio
The mysterious and alluring entity that is the subject of the song
So fragile inside
Scorpio is vulnerable and sensitive beneath their exterior
The tragedies of life
The hardships and difficulties of existence
Have forced you to hide
Scorpio's past experiences have made them retreat from the world
The pain you suffered
The hurt that Scorpio endured in their life
The love you destroyed
The relationships Scorpio ended or ruined due to their past pain
Your failure to trust
Scorpio's difficulty in putting their faith in anyone
Has opened this void
This emotional and psychological gap was created by Scorpio's inability to trust others
So innocent you are
Despite Scorpio's tough exterior, they still have a pure and gentle essence
The misery you embody is the pain we share
Scorpio's inner turmoil is relatable and felt by others
The world that you see
Scorpio's unique perspective on reality
Through enchanting eyes
Through the captivating lens of Scorpio's view
Cannot replace the beauty you are
Nothing can diminish Scorpio's inherent attractiveness
In the face of tragedy
When confronted with hardship and sorrow
The stigma of your beauty is surrounding me
Scorpio's irresistible allure is still present even in difficult times
I've gone too far your memory lives on
I am too deeply consumed by Scorpio's essence that their image persists in my mind
You've drowned your surroundings to escape and move on
Scorpio has withdrawn from their environment in order to move beyond their past
Child of the water
A reference to Scorpio's astrological sign associated with the element of water
Your guilt is in vain
Scorpio's feelings of guilt are unfounded and unwarranted
No fault is yours yet the feelings remain
Despite not being responsible for certain situations, Scorpio still experiences emotional pain
The burning of desire
The strong passion and yearning that Scorpio feels
And the threat of release
The possibility of Scorpio letting go of their past and moving on
Scorpio lies to cleanse the disease
Scorpio uses deceit as a means to overcome their emotional troubles and start anew
All times left behind
All the events of the past
Sorrow filling pain inside
The distressing emotions that Scorpio is experiencing
You possess the courage
Scorpio is strong and brave despite their vulnerability
And the strength to conquer
Scorpio has the power to overcome their past and move forward
These walls are falling down
The emotional barriers that Scorpio had built are being dismantled
Ruins crumbling to the ground
The remnants of Scorpio's past pain are fading away
Breaking away from all the pain
Scorpio is finally able to leave their hurt behind
All lies left behind
All the falsehoods and pretenses that Scorpio had adopted
Sorrow is no longer mine
Scorpio has finally freed themselves from their sadness
Scorpio rises beyond the remains
Scorpio has emerged victorious from their past struggles and moved on to a better tomorrow
Contributed by David N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.