The opening to this song was written while I was travelling in Europe a few years ago. Originally written as more of a soundtrack kinda thing, I later decided it actually fit the opening of the album and this track. The song title is oxymoronic, and seemed to fit the frenetic nature of the music. A brutal introduction to my first guitar based album.

The title implies a nice, almost friendly song…the reality is somewhat different. Wanted to incorporate some grind-core drumming, and blended it with time rhythmic changes. Contains some backmasking (a favourite technique of mine). Another multi-part song.

Written after a conversation with a friend. He mentioned the concept that one is technically insane after 7 hits of acid. I thought this was an intense concept and this song is a good example of a word, phrase or idea actually driving the creation of a song. Has a jazz-type flourish at the end. The start is in 7/8 timing, then evolves to 6/8, then back to 7/8 again. I've always loved odd timings :) Standard 4/4 bores me shitless most of the time. Very happy with the ending where the drums and guitar kind of weave in and out with one another.

One of my older songs, written before I really got into the heavier stuff, compositionally at least. A slight middle-Eastern vibe, utilising a range of more diverse instruments and more mellow feelings I intend to explore in greater detail in the future. This song also happens to be a palindrome.

Cosmologists always assumed that there is enough matter to bring the universe into an eventual balance. They call this balance point the critical density, and they use a variable called "omega" to describe the proportion of the universe's actual density to the critical density. An open universe, corresponding to omega less than one, will expand forever. The universe will become quite dark and, as the temperature of the universe approaches absolute zero. The expansion of a closed universe, with an Omega greater than one, will slow down until it reaches a maximum size, when it begins its inward collapse. Like a video of the Big Bang and expansion run backward, the universe will become denser and hotter until it ends in an infinitely hot, infinitely dense Big Crunch - perhaps providing the seed for another Big Bang. After reading about these concepts I wanted to try and capture the fury and utter chaos that would be present in the universe should omega be greater than 1.

One of my earliest heavy songs…and an absolute nightmare to mix! I spent so much time on this song getting the mix right it wasn't funny. In total, years of work, at various times. Extremely draining. The original version was also about 11 minutes long, back when I though the longer the song, the better. It's far more efficient now, and "gets to the point" a lot quicker (nearly half the original length). One of my few vocal efforts so far.

Based on the title of a book written in 1679 by Henry More, it argues for the existence of an infinite spiritual substance distinct from matter. I haven't read the original text but am familiar with it being referenced in other books I've read, and I always liked the title. This song is my attempt at a demented Phantom Of The Opera type piece, but a lot darker and more dissonant. I love the sound of a huge church organ, and this one has 3 layered together. Will definitely be doing more organ pieces in the future.

Based on a book written in 1991 by Darryl Reanney of the same name, which attempts to bring about a synthesis of streams of human consciousness and seeks to dispel anxieties about human mortality by setting it in the vast context of cosmic evolution. Another early heavy effort of mine, written quite a few years ago now. Minimal percussion, aside from a few cymbal crashes. A lot of my early stuff had no drums.

Originally written for a song-writing competition by Manny's music store in Fitzroy, Melbourne, for which it earned 2nd place. This song actually made me manic when I completed it - a really strange feeling, but very fulfilling. Another one that stayed without any drums for years, before I decided to add some fairly straight-ahead drumming to it. One of my favourite solos as well, and a tone I was very happy with.