Temporal Decay - SONGS

---

PROSPER was written as a depiction of relative stability in life prior to a traumatic event that would cause a person to experience the grieving process. While it is not meant to be limited to the experience of the year 2020, it was written with pre-COVID life in mind.

CONTAGION, as the name implies, was inspired by the propagation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The song evolves from a haunting, slow introduction to an abruptly aggressive section that conveys the overwhelming reality of a traumatic event disrupting everything in its path.

Shock/denial is the first stage of the grieving process, most commonly described as a surreal experience, as if you are watching yourself from afar. SHOCK introduces itself with drums and an interruptive, loud incursion. Tension builds to depict the changes to reality.

ONUS describes the second stage of grieving: Pain/Guilt. The aggressive, destructive feel of the song mimics the relentless pain which seems incurable to the person experiencing it. 

TURBULENCE depicts Anger/Bargaining, the third stage of the grieving process, which is characterized by the release of bottled emotions. The erratic lead guitar passages battling against the raw force of the drums and heavy rhythm guitar highlight the unpredictability of this stage.

The fourth stage of grieving is depression/reflection/loneliness. ISOLATION has a lighter mood than the preceding material on the album, but still has a harder beat than most ballads which accentuates the difficulty of dealing with these feelings.

The fifth stage of grieving, The Upward Turn, is usually a significant point when dealing with a loss. The intro to TURN evokes a picturesque utopia, which evolves into a more complicated, yet motivational ending.

The sixth stage of grieving, is Reconstruction/Working Through. RECONSTRUCTION is distinguished by a feeling of upward motion that has a thought-provoking, yet mechanical and purposeful feel to it. 

Hope/Acceptance is the seventh and final stage of grieving. Originally written for string orchestra, HOPE starts with a burdened feeling of carrying a heavy weight. The build soars into an uplifting climax, ending with a slight sadness.