Track By Tracks: THE ALPHA STRUCTURE - 7 Deadly Sins (2020)

1. Empty Vessel:

This was the first song we ever wrote as a band. Funny story: Back in 2016, we were still in the process of finding a dedicated drummer but we had gear and a practice spot. At this time, Nathan was on Drums and we had a previous guitarist named Jason. Nathans primary instrument is guitar, so Nathan was still learning and some of the band members had never been in a band before. The very early stages of Empty Vessel, were written so that we had material to practice to get in sync as a band. We later refined the song, added a bunch of stuff to it, and gave it a central theme. The song is about emotionally spreading yourself thin to the point of becoming this emotionless husk of a person.

2. 7 Deadly Sins:

A lot of people ask if we are a religious band. We are not a religious band in any sense. This song is kind of a play on the human condition. What we mean by this, is that humans instinctually want what we can't have. And sometimes we will do anything to obtain that thing, whatever it may be. The lyric "we are slaves to the 7" means we cannot live without these vices.

3. The Red:

These one's kind of simple. Therefor a while, everyone in the band was working a dead-end job, at places that didn't pay good and we weren't appreciated as individuals. You know that slump we all get in, continuously working that dead-end job and hating every second of it? That's what this song is about. The Red is one breaking point due to this.

4.Shell:

This one started off with no real direction. Ryan was wanting to right some djenty metalcore riffage and busted this song out in a matter of hours. Ryan and Terrence were living together at the time, so Terrence heard the track and immediately got in the studio to record his lyrics. This song is about survival of the fittest. Get on your feet and punch through those barriers in your life.

5. This is Endless:

Along with Empty Vessel. This song was one of the first 3 we ever wrote. And was written with the sole intent to practice as a band and get in sync. We applied the same process to this song, we refined it, blended the transitions nicely, added some flare, and then had Terrence lay some vocals on it. This song is about how living is also suffering, and how we are going through that state of suffering, it feels never-ending.

6. Memories Left Unturned:

Everybody has that one person in their life that always gets a hold of you when they need bailing out. They use you, expect your help and kindness, and then when you try to put your foot down and stand up for yourself, they gaslight and guilt you into thinking that what they are doing is okay. This is what that song is about. Finally standing up for yourself against that person.

7. Grudges:

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Yes, it is about holding Grudges. However, it is also about how that Grudge can be a primary motivator in your life. Using negative emotion towards someone as a motivator to accomplish things in your life.

8. Breathe:

We like to think of this track as an "interlude" track. There are no real lyrics for it. It's a 1:00+ of sold breakdown with a progressively slowing tempo. We didn't know what to do with this, but we wanted to use it because that rhythm is so tasty. It feels like an intro, but also feels like an outro. So we made it it's own track. As kids, we used to listen to lots of Whitechapel and Veil of Maya. They had these interlude tracks that had no lyrics and were all breakdown, for example, "Pillars' by Veil of Maya

9. In Circles:

This song is about how people burn bridges in order to get to the top or get what they want. We've all experienced a time where either we or someone we know lost sight of what is important, and cut ties with the ones they care about because we/they are so focused on our desires.

10. XIII:

This song is about being unlucky. Its a play on how the number 13 is considered to be unlucky.

11. Return to the Earth:

This song is about self-growth. The entire album is talking about all these points and feelings. Most of which are negative and induce emotional pain on any given individual. This track is like that turning point. You've reached the end, you've endured the through pain and suffering, and now its time to learn and grow, and to ground yourself.