Track By Tracks: Separating The Seas - BLACKOUT (2016)

1. Give Your Heart:

We are born into this world without the knowing our true purpose. Questioning this, can drive one mad. The way I see it, we are given a gift. We cannot take that for granted. We are all equal, and we need to be there for each other. This is a song that focuses on finding your own path in life, and what it means to be human. 

2. Blackout:

Technology has taken a hold of all of us, in one way or another. In a way, it's connected us all together. This would seem to be a good thing, but, we've never been so alone. People are now looking down constantly at their smartphones, trying to keep updated as a hive mind. It's become a parasite, an infection that has burrowed itself inside all of us. We are all addicted and dependent. 

3. From The Heavens:

I grew up in a religious family. Christianity, to be specific. This song is about how I've struggled with my faith and how I've dealt with it. This is probably the most personal song I'll ever write. Not a slam against religion, but rather a common symptom of humanity. We doubt, we question. 

4. Bleak Waters:

At the time, I was thinking about the events at Fukushima and how it has been affecting our oceans. Of course there's more than that, including how much garbage gets dumped there as well. We disrespect this planet without appreciating how beautiful it is. Species on this earth are threatened, and have been named extinct because of us. We desperately need to change our ways. 

5. Fractured:

I wrote this song while I was extremely depressed. It's a hard thing to feel distant from your family. My words came out quicker than usual while I was writing this. The chorus is the relief, referencing the melancholy before. However, assuring that things can and will get better. There is a way to live and feel alive. 

6. Sense and Instinct:

Sometimes we tend to feel stuck in our lives. Whether it be personal, work, or health related. I looked in the mirror one day and saw that I wasn't who I wanted to be. It was time to change. No matter where you are in life, you have the choice to take control of it.

7. Monolith:

This was originally planned to be an instrumental interlude. However, it ended up being the perfect "prequel" to the track right after. As humans, we like what we're comfortable with. We may wonder about the bigger picture, but it seems safer to pretend it doesn't exist.  

8. Beauty In Numbers:

Money is the root of all evil. The more you have, the more likely you are to become corrupt. We live in a world where the rich are so few, in comparison to the common man. As a species, we should be taking care of each other. You get one life, you shouldn't have to worry about food/water/shelter. Sadly, the number of people who face this situation is appalling. This song is about greed, and how disgusting it truly is. 

9. Comatose:

There's a point where you may feel like giving up. Some days it seems pointless, some days it doesn't. I named this comatose, because if you aren't living your life to the fullest, that's basically the state you're in. You're essentially, trapped in a shell, and afraid of leaving. It is then, and only then, when you can gain the courage to break free. 

10. White Noise:

I believe this was the fourth song that was written for this album. From the intro, to the epic guitar harmony/solo section, to the rise against feeling verses, this one really felt like a closer. There have been many shootings in the United States, but none like the one in Orlando. The biggest mass attack by one individual, and the biggest on the LGBT community. It is sickening. This song isn't purely about that, but it was definitely on my mind at the time. Mostly, it's about how we turn our heads to so much evil in this world. Tuning it out like white noise.