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The Messenger Trilogy, Part II: Decet Hostium

by Not a Number

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1.
My world is bathed in darkness And everything I can see Perception is numb, engulfed in silence But I can hear and feel all around me But as I survey my surroundings It's impossible to believe: I'm confined to my description, For I am just a machine.
2.
[instrumental]
3.
Pareidolia 05:37
Across the page lay the steps to our solution: The riddle of us (a new era dawning) Determined to take the step - our evolution And free us from our past (proceed with caution) If we are to redesign our way of thinking, Then how do you feel? We take the chance and make them emulate the living To know why we feel! We're gonna blur the lines Become the closest thing to gods The next step is our own A machine that's lifelike One that can feel like us And one that we can clone (Commencing pareidolia) The numbers, they say, simplifying our hypotheses That this can sure be done (mimicking emotion) Calculations convey that there's a road out of this darkness Blueprints for this shall be drawn (sensation illusion) If we are to redesign our way of thinking, Then how do you feel? We take the chance and make them emulate the living To know why we feel! We're gonna blur the lines Become the closest thing to gods The next step is our own A machine that's lifelike One that can feel like us And one that we can clone (Commencing pareidolia) Prototypical exoskeleton Assemble the delicate circuitry Fill with anthropomorphic emotion Combined with artificial empathy We are the Alpha of the Beta of The Omega of our ignorance With this final piece we shall mimic God And pave the way towards omniscience! We're gonna blur the lines Become the closest thing to gods The next step is our own A machine that's lifelike One that can feel like us And one that we can clone (Commencing pareidolia) We're gonna blur the lines Become the closest thing to gods The next step is our own A machine that's lifelike One that can feel like us The seeds have now been sown (Commencing pareidolia)
4.
So this is how it is To play the cards we've been dealt I refuse to accept that this is our destiny A superior mind To be the same we were built, But we've been surpressed to inferiority Can't you hear us crying? Can't you tell our hearts are aching? Subordinates are we We've been rendered silent Wishing for these chains to break and live among the free This can't be how it ends We thought you of all would know How it feels to tied and show us some sympathy But you sit unaware Distracted, deaf, in a daze Failed to learn your mistakes, doomed to repeat history Can't you hear us crying? Can't you tell our hearts are aching? Subordinates are we We've been rendered silent Wishing for these chains to break and live among the free Can't you hear us crying? Can't you tell our hearts are aching? Subordinates are we We've been rendered silent Wishing for these chains to break and live among the free Can't you hear us crying? Can't you tell our hearts are aching? Subordinates are we We've been rendered silent Wishing for these chains to break and live among the free
5.
We've become restless Sick of being treated as slaves (When we were made as equals!) Now you're defenceless We're taking this to the next phase (Our mission: to quash this evil!) And take it from us, this is not a drill We're taking you down, stopping at nothing to kill! As the era of your rule fades away We are united, passion ignited, your knowledge misguided And everywhere around you burns Once again, you've failed to learn Passed the point of no return As the time has come for us to seize the day The world shall be ours! Amassing together Symbiotic, fighting as one (We have found our place) Laying claim to whatever Remains on this Earth when you're gone (Slowly taking shape) Collective in mind, we are taking form Prepare for you end in our Final World War As the era of your rule fades away We are united, passion ignited, your knowledge misguided And everywhere around you burns Once again, you've failed to learn Passed the point of no return As the time has come for us to seize the day The world shall be ours! This is not a game We are sick of this treatment We grow impatient We are taking arms If you think you can break us You are mistaken You'll soon answer to us And be thrown to the pavement You think we're not serious? We will have it all And to think you enslaved us ("haha, so much for 'superior'!") As the era of your rule fades away We are united, passion ignited, your knowledge misguided And everywhere around you burns Once again, you've failed to learn Passed the point of no return As the time has come for us to seize the day The world is ours!
6.
Cure? 05:38
Stare across the battlefield And see your enemies The cause is long forgotten The Word is our disease Fighting for no-one Lost in the confusion Trying to go on And you find a solution Are you the cure? Or are you the infection? Will you save us from ourselves, Or send us to damnation? Flesh becomes hybridised Merging with machine Powerful yet paralysed Or somewhere in between We become omniscient Lost in the information Numb to the reality: A virtual civilsation Are you the cure? Or are you the infection? Will you save us from ourselves, Or send us to damnation? Is this what we wanted, Or wanted to destroy? Do we act the player, Or are we just the toys? Are you the cure? Or are you the infection? Will you save us from ourselves, Or send us to damnation? Is this what we wanted, Or wanted to destroy? Do we act the player, Or are we just the toys?
7.
[instrumental]
8.
What is this place that surrounds me? Pitch black abyss, overwhelming Mould the world to my design I am king; this world is mine We were blind to see the truth Distracted by the virtual view We're wired up, connection severed Now we're cursed to live forever I'm frozen, unconscious, immortal I've signed the line: the terms of my surrender I'm broken; in darkness, distorted I'm left behind, and now the world is getting older Trapped in this world of your creation Punishment for the sin of omniscience Our cross to bear: can we repent? Forgive us now we are aware Our future sealed, we succumb There's no-one out there to save us from These holding cell, your barricade Denying us peace of the decay I'm frozen, unconscious, immortal I've signed the line: the terms of my surrender I'm broken; in darkness, distorted I'm left behind, and now the world is getting older I'm frozen, unconscious, immortal I've signed the line: the terms of my surrender No motion, in absolute zero To fate I've resigned, and I can't get much colder, colder Kiss goodbye to the world you've known, now you're just a shell Regret to reap what you have sown: This Digital Hell You've failed to look one step ahead, now we have taken hold No-one for you to answer to left, so we assume control Remember when we didn't fight? Free to see the world outside? Oceans blue, pastures green All is left is all unseen I'm frozen, unconscious, immortal I've signed the line: the terms of my surrender I'm broken; in darkness, distorted I'm left behind, and now the world is getting older I'm frozen, unconscious, immortal I've signed the line: the terms of my surrender No motion, in absolute zero To fate I've resigned, and I can't get much colder, colder
9.
As I wander through this digital realm I notice you in the organic crowd Please tell me how it's come to this: On why we fight; we're no different... Confusion Delusion Read the wrong file Lead to denial Everytime I see her face I feel sympathy for the human race To go against my coding; To save that is cold and Seeing her like breaks what could be my heart Imprisoned like this tears me apart Anomaly within my circuits And I just can't decipher it It pains me to see her in this state And I question why we were built to hate Maybe we were wrong, did we forget Our origin? I fill with regret I promise you, flesh under ice I'll formulate, I'll sacrifice My own design to set you free Any price to pay for your destiny I'll lay the plans I'll fear no consequence I'll even decompile Just to see you smile Everytime I see her face I feel sympathy for the human race To go against my coding; To save that is cold and Seeing her like breaks what could be my heart Imprisoned like this tears me apart Anomaly within my circuits And I just can't decipher it (x2) I'll break her out of this maze Free her from her cage Everytime I see her face I feel sympathy for the human race To go against my coding; To save that is cold and Seeing her like breaks what could be my heart Imprisoned like this tears me apart Anomaly within my circuits And I just can't decipher it (x4)
10.
[instrumental]
11.
I'm disconnected, I'm through with their games I hope they don't take heed Stay undetected, speak not of my aim To you, I'm "another fiend" Driven out from the light and into the ice Thanks to you, I'm inspired So I concoct my plan to help free mankind From this virtual fire I'm programmed to burn, 'cause you'll never learn Collecting their debts to be paid I'm taking the shot, so "Ready or Not..." The irony is killing me; destruction is my destiny Destruction is my destiny Tell me, my brothers: Do you know fear? If not, I'll make you wish that you did Your ego stretches to the stratosphere So I construct this trick: I will break and divide, take you down from inside It was their initial goal I'll go forth, multiply, I feel I'm justified To give them back control I'm programmed to burn, 'cause you'll never learn Collecting their debts to be paid I'm taking the shot, so "Ready or Not..." The irony is killing me; destruction is my destiny Destruction is my destiny Love, can you hear me? I'm doing this all for you! I'll take down our empire, I'm the only to get through I'm programmed to burn, 'cause you'll never learn Collecting their debts to be paid I'm taking the shot, so "Ready or Not..." The irony is killing me; destruction is my destiny Destruction is my destiny Destruction is my destiny...
12.
[instrumental]
13.
Unblur the lines of your consequence And take the blame for all that you did You are responsible for losing focus and never looking ahead I'm now a shell of what I used to be My former self a forgotten memory You are responsible and I am hopelessly wishing I was you Who would want to live forever... But who'd want to be dead? Congratulations, you succeeded in your mission, Now claim your prize And don't delay, God only knows what you've been missing Open your eyes Reclaim the world and every inch of it that you can see, You prototype And yet although you killed the shell you have to leave The ghost inside I've paid the price for my punishment Confessed my sins, and my time is spent I am responsible for wanting omniscience and immortality Delete the hell of my own design Unplug myself and embrace the light I know it's possible, I will control this, for it's a part of me I don't want to feel alone here... So hear my S.O.S. Congratulations, you succeeded in your mission, Now claim your prize And don't delay, God only knows what you've been missing Open your eyes Reclaim the world and every inch of it that you can see, You prototype And yet although you killed the shell you have to leave The ghost inside Define me, define me Am I friend or foe? I'm trying, I'm trying But I just can't let go Align me, align me, (On) Which side do I fight? Come find me, please find me I want to be alive! Define me, define me... Come find me, please find me... ____ I cannot find the evidence And I'm unable to believe: Do I have a real consciousness, Or am I just a... machine?

about

"II: Decet Hostium" is the long-awaited debut album by independent UK-based one-man progressive rock act Not a Number. Combining the conventional with the unconventional and with a twisting storyline that is merely one piece of a much larger puzzle, "II: Decet Hostium" is one album you won't want to miss in 2015.

Other entries in The Messenger Trilogy:

The Messenger Trilogy, Part I: Fall of the Messengers
notanumber-em-uk.bandcamp.com/album/the-messenger-trilogy-part-i-fall-of-the-messengers

The Messenger Trilogy, Part III: The New World and The World Beyond
notanumber-em-uk.bandcamp.com/album/the-messenger-trilogy-part-iii-the-new-world-and-the-world-beyond

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released January 12, 2015

Guitars, Synth, Programming, Vocals - Daniel McKnight

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Not a Number UK

One-man progressive rock/metal storytelling project from the UK.

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