正如阴沉诡异的封面一样，整张专辑较为压抑，初听之下感觉很晦涩。与[I]不同，这是一张需要反复聆听才会适应的专辑。而一旦接受之，你会惊叹于在这些被黑暗的气氛笼罩，编曲有些怪异的曲目下隐藏的才华和能量。诞生于Kevin Moore出走前成员间相处不和以及Mike Portnoy受酒瘾困扰最严重的阶段，这张专辑是挣扎，矛盾与自省的产物。这似乎再次印证了creativity comes from suffering这个道理。另外值得一提的是我非常喜欢本张的混音，各乐器之间平衡极佳，鼓声轻脆，吉他键盘亦各具质感，层次感鲜明。
毫无疑问这是张“一黑到底”的专辑（有点类似于后期“一重到底”的[Tr]），就连3首ballad性质的Silent Man，Lifting Shadows Off a Dream和Space-Dye-Vest也是沉郁的暗色调。
开篇曲6:00由Kevin Moore填词，据说暗含了其意欲离队的沮丧心境。
过山车般呼啸而过的Caught in a Web，据James Labrie所说，表达了成员们由[I]走红的两年多来经历的内心波动。
4. A Mind Beside Itself - Erotomania (Instrumental)
5. A Mind Beside Itself - Voices
6. A Mind Beside Itself - The Silent Man
7. The Mirror
8. Lie
9. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
10. Scarred
11. Space-Dye Vest
歌词：
1. 6:00
[Samples from the film "The Dead", an adaptation of James Joyce's short story from his book]
"Six o'clock on a Christmas morning..."
"And for what?"
"Well, isn't it for the honor of God, Aunt Kate?"
"I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane."
Six o'clock the siren kicks him from a dream
Tries to shake it off but it just won't stop
Can't find the strength but he's got promises to keep
And wood to chop before he sleeps
I may never get over
but never's better than now
I've got bases to cover
He's in the parking lot and he's just sitting in his car
It's nine o'clock but he can't get out
He lights a cigarette
and turns the music down
but just can't seem to shake that sound
Once I thought I'd get over
but it's too late for me now
I've got bases to cover
Melody walks through the door
and memory flies out the window
and nobody knows what they want
'til they finally let it all go
The pain inside
coming outside
So many ways to drown a man
So many ways to drag him down
Some are fast and some take years and years
Can't hear what he's saying when he's talking in his sleep
He finally found the sound but he's in too deep
I could never get over
Is it too late for me now?
Feel like blowing my cover
Melody walks through the door
and memory flies out the window
and nobody knows what they want
'til they finally let it all go
But don't cut your losses too soon
'cause you'll only be cutting your throat
And answer a call while you still hear at all
'cause nobody will if you won't
[Samples from the film "The Dead", an adaptation of James Joyce's short story from his book]
"Six o'clock on a Christmas morning..."
"I know all about the honor of God, Mary..."
"I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane."
2. Caught In A Web
Silence disguised
I watch you
Show me the hurt
that haunts you
would you despise the thrill
If all you hide were mine?
I can't hold on any longer
These feelings keep growing stronger
Echoes that deafen the mind
will bury my voice in their wake
Caught in a Web
Removed from the world
Hanging on by a thread
Spinning the lies
devised in my head
Caught in a Web refused by the world
Hanging on by a thread
Spinning a cage denied and misread
I've seen the path
the one you take
shows the truth
for you to make
This turn of phrase
we might not see
is the thirst of desire
found so easily
Try to push me 'round
the world some more
And make me live in fear
I bare all that I am
made of now
Attractive I don't care
'Cause even when I danced with life
no one was there to share
Does this voice the wounds of your soul?
Does this voice the wounds of your soul?
Caught in a Web
Removed from the world
Hanging on by a thread
Spinning the lies
devised in my head
Tried to live the life
you live and saw
It doesn't work for me
I bare all that I am
made of now
Attractive, I can't be
Inside the Dance of Life is one
I'll never hold to me
You can't heal the wounds of my soul.
You can't heal the wounds of my soul.
Caught in a Web
Removed from the world
Hanging on by a thread
Spinning the lies
devised in my head
Caught in a Web
Refused by the world
Hanging on by a thread
Spinning a cage
Denied and misread
3. Innocence Faded
Animation
breathes a cloudless mind
Fascination
leaves the doubting blind
Until the circle breaks and wisdom lies ahead
the faithful live Awake
the rest remain misled
Some will transcend spinning years
One as if time disappears
Innocence faded
the mirror falls behind you
Trinity jaded
I break down walls to find you
Callow and vain
fixed like a fossil, shrouding pain
Passionless stage
Distant like brothers
Wearing apathetic displays
Sharing flesh like envy in cages
Condescending
Not intending to end
Some will transcend spinning years
One as if time disappears
Innocence faded
the mirror falls behind you
Trinity jaded
I break down walls to find you
Beginnings get complicated
the farther we progress
Opinions are calculated
Immune to openness
Beyond the circle's edge
We're driven by her blessings
Forever hesitating
Caught beneath the wheel
Innocence faded
the mirror falls behind you
Cynically jaded
The child will crawl to find you.
4. Erotomania
[Instrumental]
5. Voices
'Love, just don't stare'
He used to say to me
every Sunday morning
The spider in the window
The angel in the pool
The old man takes the poison
Now the widow makes the rules
'So speak, I'm right here'
She used to say to me
not a word, not a word
Judas on the ceiling
the Devil in my bed
I guess Easter's never coming
So I'll just wait inside my head
Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices repeating me
'Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears.'
Voices discussing me
'Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined
within your mind.'
Thought disorder
Dream control
Now they read my mind on the radio
But where was the Garden of Eden?
I feel elated
I feel depressed
Sex is death, Death is sex
Says it right here on my Crucifix
Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices protecting me
'Good behavior
brings the Savior
to his knees.'
Voices rejecting me
'Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined
to your own mind.'
[Dialogue by rap artist Prix-mo reading from the book "Cultural Revolution".]
"I don't wanna be here, 'cause of my
suffering, 'cause of my illness.
Only love is worth having, only
love is what matters, loving every
people on equal terms. "
"You've got to know who you're
dealin' with because, like a stranger,
a-heh, just might come in through
here with a gun... and then, what
would you do? (Heh.)"
"Everything is immaterial..."
"'n' you know that reality is immaterial."
"This is not reality..."
I'm kneeling on the floor
staring at the wall
like the spider in the window
I wish that I could speak
Is there fantasy in refuge?
God in politicians?
Should I turn on my religion?
These demons in my head tell me to
I'm lying here in bed
Swear my skin is inside out
Just another Sunday morning
Seen my diary on the newsstand
Seems we've lost the truth to quicksand
It's a shame no one is praying
'Cause these voices in my head
keep saying...
'Love, just don't stare.'
'Reveal the Word when you're
supposed to'
Withdrawn and introverted
Infectiously perverted
'Being laughed at and confused
keeps us pleasantly amused
enough to stay.'
Maybe I'm just Cassandra fleeting
Twentieth century Icon bleeding
Willing to risk Salvation
to escape from isolation
I'm witness to redemption
heard you speak but never listened
Can you rid me of my secrets?
Deliver us from Darkness?
Voices repeating me
'Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears.'
Voices discussing me
Don't expect your own Messiah
This neverworld which you desire
is only in your mind.
6. The Silent Man
A question well served,
'Is silence like a fever?'
'A voice never heard?'
'Or a message with no receiver?'
Pray they won't ask
Behind the stained glass
There's always one more mask
Has man been a victim
of his woman, of his father?
if he elects not to bother,
will he suffocate their faith?
Desperate to fall
Behind the Great Wall
That separates us all
When there is reason
Tonight I'm Awake
when there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
If there is balance
tonight He's Awake
If they have to suffer
There lies the Silent Man
Sin without deceivers
A God with no believers
I could sail by
on the Winds of Silence
And maybe they won't notice
But this time I think
It'd be better if I swim
When there is reason
Tonight I'm Awake
When there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
If there is balance
Tonight he's Awake
But if they have to suffer
There lies the Silent Man
7. The Mirror
Temptation-
Why won't you leave me alone?
Lurking Every Corner, everywhere I go
Self Control-
Don't turn your back on me now
When I need you the most
Constant pressure tests my will
My will or my won't
My Self Control escapes from me still...
Hypocrite-
How could you be so cruel
and expect my faith in return?
Resistance-
Is not as hard as it seems
When you close the door
I spent so long trusting in you
I trust you forgot
Just when I thought I believed in you...
[Sample is Meryl Streep from the film "Falling In Love".]
"What're you doing?
What're you doing?"
It's time for me to deal
Becoming all too real
living in fear-
Why did you lie and pretend?
This has come to an end
I'll never trust you again
It's time you made your amends
Look in the mirror my friend
[Sample is Jeremy Irons from the film "Damage".]
"That I haven't behaved as I should"
[Sample is Mary Beth Hurt from the film "Light Sleeper".]
"Everything you need is around you. The only danger is inside you."
[Sample is Jeremy Irons from the film "Damage".]
"I thought you could control life, but it's not like that. There are things you can't control."
Let's stare the problem right in the eye
It's plagued me from coast to coast
Racing the clock to please everyone
All but the one who matters the most
Reflections of reality
are slowly coming into view
How in the hell could you possibly forgive me?
After all the hell I put you through
It's time for me to deal
Becoming all too real
living in fear-
Why'd I betray my friend?
Lying until the end
Living life so pretend
It's time to make my amends
I'll never hurt you again
8. Lie
Daybreak
at the bottom of lake
it's a hundred degrees I can't breathe
And I won't get out
'til I figure it out
Though I'm weak like I can't believe
So you tell me 'trust me' l can trust you
Just let me show you
But I gotta work it out in a shadow of doubt
'cause I don't know if I know you
Doing fine but don't waste my time
Tell me what it is you want to say
You sin, you win, just let me in - hurry
I've been out in the rain all day
So you tell me 'trust me' I can trust you
as far as I can throw you
And I'm trying to get out of a shadow of doubt
'cause I don't know if I know you
Don't tell me you wanted me
Don't tell me you thought of me
I won't, I swear I won't
(Did)
I'll try, I swear I'll try
(Lie)
Mother Mary quite contrary
Kiss the boys and make them wary
Things are getting just a little bit scary
It's a wonder I can still breathe
Never been much of a doubting Thomas
but nothing breaks like a broken promise
You tell me 'bout your two more coming
but once is just enough for me
Don't tell me you wanted me
Don't tell me you thought of me
I won't, I swear I won't (did)
I'll try, I swear I'll try (lie)
I had gotten used to being a soul destroyed
She comes in apparently to fill the void
All dogs need a leash and
at least I'll forget it
And she would never hurt me though
she's never said it
But I'm not gonna ask her today
I don't wanna scare her away
Your town, I'm all alone
and I just can't stare at the phone
I wanna talk about lifelong mistakes
and you can tell your stepfather I said so
9. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
He seems alone and silent
thoughts remain without an answer
Afraid and uninvited
he slowly drifts away
Moved by desire and fear
Breaking delicate wings
Lifting shadows
off a Dream once broken
She can turn a drop of water
Into an ocean
As the rain is pouring down
Tears of sorrow wash his mind
Drifting with the current
This stream of life flows on
He seems alone and silent
waiting on his hands and knees
The chill of winter's darkness sits quietly
Moved by desire and fear
he takes a few steps away
Lifting shadows
off a Dream once broken
She can turn a drop of water
Into an ocean
And she listens openly
He pours his soul into the water
reflecting the mystery
She carries him away
and the winds die slowly
And she listens openly
And she listens openly
Lifting shadows
off a Dream once broken
She can turn a drop of water
Into an ocean
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
10. Scarred
To Rise, To Fall.
To Hurt, To Hate.
To Want, To Wait.
To Heal, To Save.
Can't hear it
we fear it
awareness won't come near it
Distractive
Reactive
Disguised in spite of time
I never bared my emotion
My passion always strong
I never lost my devotion
but somewhere fate went wrong
Can't let them rape me again
Your venom's not family here
won't let them fill me with
fatalistic remedies
What if the rest of the world
was hopelessly blinded by fear?
Where would my sanctity live?
Suddenly nobody cares.
It's never enough
You're wasting your time
Isn't there something I could say?
You don't understand
You're closing me out
How can we live our lives this way?
You tell me I'm wrong
I'm risking my life
Still, I have nothing in return
I show you my hands
You don't see the scars
Maybe you'll leave me here to burn.
What if the rest of the world
was hopelessly drowning in vain?
Where would our self pity run?
Suddenly everyone cares.
Blood...Heal me
Fear...Change me
Belief will always save me
Blood...Swearing
Fear...Staring
Conviction made aware
Give up on misery
Turn your back on dissent
Leave their distrust behind
Wash your hands of regret
Do you feel you don't know me anymore?
And do you feel I'm afraid of your love?
And how come you don't want me asking?
And how come my heart's not invited?
You say you want everyone happy
Well, we're not laughing.
And how come you don't understand me?
And how come I don't understand you?
Thirty years say we're in this together
So open your eyes.
People in prayer for me
everyone there for me
Sometimes I feel I should face this alone
My soul exposed
It calms me to know that I won't
Blood...Heal me
Fear...Change me
Belief will always save me
Blood...Swearing
Fear...Staring
Conviction made aware
Give up on misery
Turn your back on dissent
Leave their distrust behind
Wash your hands of regret
Blood...Heal me
Fear...Change me
Belief will always save me
Blood...Swearing
Fear...Staring
Conviction made aware
Learning from misery
Staring back at dissent
Leaving distrust behind
I'm inspired and content
11. Space-Dye Vest
Falling through pages of Martens on angels
Feeling my heart pull west
I saw the future dressed as a stranger
love in a space-dye vest
Love is an act of blood and I'm bleeding
a pool in the shape of a heart
Beauty projection in the reflection
Always the worst way to start
[Sample is Julian Sands from the film "A Room With A View".]
"But he's the sort who can't know
anyone intimately, least of all a
woman. He doesn't know what a woman
is. He wants you for a possession,
something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.
Something to own and to display. He doesn't want you to be real,
or to think or to live. He doesn't love you, but I love you.
I want you to have your own thoughts and ideas and
feelings, even when
I hold you in my arms. It's our last chance... It's our
last chance..."
Now that you're gone I'm trying to take it
Learning to swallow the rage
Found a new girl I think we can make it
as long as she stays on the page
This is not how I want it to end
And I'll never be open again
[Sample from "The Trouble With Evan", from the Canadian series "The Fifth Estate".]
"...I was gonna move out...ummm...get,
get a job, get my own place, ummm,
but... I go into the mall where I
want to work and they tell me, I'm,
I was too young..."
[Sample is Jim Hill from a news commentary about the OJ Simpson freeway chase.]
"Some people, gave advice before,
about facing the facts, about
facing reality. And this is, this
without a doubt, is his biggest
challenge ever. He's going to have to face it.
You're gonna have to try, he's gonna to have to try and,
uh, and, and, and get some help here. I mean no one can
say they know how he feels."
[Sample from the Conan O'Brien show.]
"That, so they say that, in ya know
like, Houston or something, you'd
say it's a hundred and eighty degrees,
but it's a dry heat.
In Houston they say that?
Oh, maybe not. I'm all mixed up.
Dry until they hit the swimming pool."
[Sample from "The Trouble With Evan", from the Canadian series "The Fifth Estate".]
"...I get up with the sun... Listen.
You have your own room to sleep in,
I don't care what you do. I don't
care when. That door gets locked,
that door gets locked at night by nine o'clock.
If you're not in this house by nine o'clock, then you'd
better find some
place to sleep. Because you're not going to be a bum in
this house.
Supper is ready..."
There's no one to take my blame
if they wanted to
There's nothing to keep me sane
and it's all the same to you
There's nowhere to set my aim
so I'm everywhere
Never come near me again
do you really think I need you
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend
And I'll never be open again
And I'll have no more dreams to defend
And I'll never be open again
/1 
发表于 2020-1-11 15:09:19
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