"aNIMOsITY" - Not only do I concur with the lyrics to this song, the music itself, consisting of hard core guitars, rasping vocals, and intelligent programming, make its message even more profound. The first two lines of the song (Why must we suffer with this life we live in? Press forward for nothing, destruction we gain.) reflect a concept about living a senseless existence. What do we really gain in this life? THE PARADIGMATIC LIFE: You are born. You learn from your parents and then from your teachers. You move on to college and pursue a career. You get a job, earn a living, raise a family, retire, and die. So you work your ass off your entire life only for all your dreams and accomplishments to be swept away one fateful day when death comes calling your name. Really, I ask you, what is the point? Two more lines from the song: "I hate this world and all it has to offer, if I had a choice, I'd rather be dead!" To me, this is a reaction to the epiphany earlier in the song concerning the emptiness of life. I see it as one big "Fuck off!" to what society, religion, and the world says should be important in MY life. Meaning to life is not a "one size fits all" abstraction. Significance is unique to each individual. One should not be judged based on what the majority has ruled as consequential. I think life is meaningless, and I live my life without regard to what others think will bring value to my reality.

"DIsEasE" - A powerful, dark song about the hopelessness that many feel in this life. Young or old, religious or not, the "DIsEasE" affects us all. I respect Darren for being so honest with his lyrics. One section of the song reads: "Trapped inside himself. Locked behind the walls. No relief in site. He wants to end it all. Drowning with land in site. No way to ease the pain. No end to suffering. A life of hell to gain." Harsh yet truthful words. Perhaps we are all drowning in this sea of life, the answer to it all just out of reach. We don't know how we got here, or where we came from. All we know is "sink or swim", and some choose to sink. But do we really need that relief, that answer, to keep on swimming? People seek their relief in a god, or in a religion. Others in family. Others in a career or a never ending pursuit of money and success. Others, like myself, don't seek relief in anything. I accept the suffering as a part of life that should not be ignored. I can continue to live without the comfort of a god or the (in my opinion) empty acquisition of money. I choose to swim for no reason, and I don't need to see land for initiative. In conclusion, we have this misconception that there is only one answer for everyone. This is simply not true. Each individual creates their own meaning, their own reason to swim, their unique way of fighting the "DIsEasE". True suffering would be living for someone else's purpose, and not your own.

Comments on "BURNING" and other songs will be posted shortly.