THE MESSAGE

CD released by Immigrant Sun Records in May 2004, CD by Elephant Eye Records in Thailand/East Asia (2005), and LP by Surprise Attack Records (2007)

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Recorded and Mixed by Doyle Odom at Electric Tide Studio (Houston, TX)

Mastered by Bumblefoot (NJ)

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Artwork and Layout by Daniel Austin

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Daniel Austin–lyrics, vocals, guitars

Eric Gibson–bass

Jared Kuntz–drums

Alive With Madness

I spent the sleepless nights of youth alive with madness 
With only concern for the truth, I walked this world alone 

Nothing could suffice this hateful heart of mine 
Be it blessing, or be it curse, to live with open eyes... 

From the ashes of awareness, I can only rise

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_____

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Drawn in Quarters

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Welcome to hell–life with open eyes 
Nails driven in with each cursed site 
IlIumination exacts a painful price 
The less I have, the more I know 
Cliches never rang so true 
There are daggers in the smiles of the men who build this world 

And I have reached the threshold of despair 
A pebble in the sea, why do I fucking care? 
Through all my screams for change, all I've found is pain 
I long to slit the throats of those who choose to choke 

To walk among the fallen angels and their long forgotten plans 
To stand entirely alone 
Filled with purpose and desire, unlike those human shells 
Even angels must endure their own hidden hells 

So we push on through the devastation 
Complacently as slaves to our creation 
Why would you run in place if you could set the pace? 
It's time to slit the throats of those who choose to choke... 

Bound by human nature 
Our minds tied to the human world 
Can we not see the madness unfurled? 
Drawn in quarters, torn between life and death, love and hate 
To die in slavery or rise and break the chains 

Face the flames

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_____

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The Message

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It's time to revive the idea 
Rekindle the spirit that brought us here 
To live in silence is to live in fear 
So I'll speak my mind loud and clear 
This voice could be the spark to ignite the silent masses 
Let us all behold each voice that is full of passion 
I know tomorrow isn't promised to me 
So I must break free from the fear of failure, the fear of death 
The fears that breed our complacent disease 

We are all faced with this choice: 
Escape or recreate 
To live in hell or rewrite out fate 
One voice, one fucking pen– 
How I long to begin again and leave this goddamned world behind 

Fuck you all, I don't care if it's all been said before 

These are the thoughts plaguing my mind 
And I know you don't want to hear 
For fear the truth may set you free 
Then what will you do? what's your excuse? 
And then when it all comes crashing down 
And your gods are nowhere to be found 
What the fuck will you do? what's your excuse? 

Beyond the walls of this world you've come to know 
Of dead-end streets and needless suffering 
Awaits a message dying to be read: 
Look beyond this fucking scene 

It's time to revive the idea

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_____

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Saved by a Precious Few

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The clouds 
They followed me to what felt like no end 
Bled dry through the days 
All my hope abandoned 
Perhaps I have nothing left to give but this voice of discontent 
And so I carry on... 

Embedded in anger, my soul finds nourishment 
In the wastelands of the world, I find my fertile ground 
Disillusioned with everything 
Nothing is what it fucking seems 
The only beauty that I've found is right here– 
Underground 

Just like you I drag myself through this human hell 
A mere piece of the machine fighting for scraps of myself 
Sometimes I fear that there's not enough love in this world 
To save us from ourselves 

We thought love would save us from the perils of 
This fucking world 
But we bled through those nights when love weighed too much 
When love was not enough (it's not enough)... 

So here's to my saving grace... 

Empty parking lots at 2am 
And hating the world with the best of friends 
To the precious few whose hearts are fucking true, 
Those candles in the dark who saw me through: 
When the crowd has gone and the dust has cleared 
I would end it all if you weren't still here 
All I need is a place to sleep and moments that cannot be bought

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*all other lyrics to this record are found on Confessions of a Petty Thief and Songs for the Converted