Silent Planet | Lower Empire | Track-By-Track Analysis

Garrett talks with us about the meaning behind "Lower Empire"
Bind the wrist, cut the tongue, call it Liberation.
Bind the wrist, cut the tongue, call it Liberation.
Invader, you dare make me a stranger.
Invader, you brand me as a traitor
These borders were forged in loss - painted with a martyr's forgotten blood. Legions of stone infecting the land, legions we carved into the palm of God's hand. Stigmata cities stitched together with wails intent on sanitizing the sedition of our dark traditions. We begin with the purest of intentions, then fabricate the cruelest inventions.
Interpret the subtext: S - O - S. Euthanized with euphemistic lies, populace of blank binary minds. Appetite for endless apathy - breathing in... in... insecurity.
Until you see your reflection through the scope of a weapon nothing will ever change. A revolution stirs in the silence. The movement defies this negative space.
I hear you through the noise: the truth that speaks in silence. Scale the divides we devise. We locked out me world, but we're locked inside. I hear you through the noise: the hope sung from the margins. My heartbeat just a step behind, I didn't know your name but I knew we were out of time.
Nuclear families split apart like the atom demagogues proliferate the calloused grip of the state. The future asphyxiates under nativist suspicions. Insipid minds domestic fission.
Bind the wrist, cut the tongue, call it Liberation.
Bind the wrist, cut the tongue, call it Liberation.
Thirteen, cold as a stillborn - wounds still warm in his chest. Behold the crimson lens, peer through the gaps in the flesh. Bullets raining from Babylon: the price of wealth. How can you resist this cycle if you can't resist yourself?
What a world we knew before we fearfully withdrew to our silent cells of solitude but still I hear you. I hear you.
I hear you through the noise: the truth that speaks in silence. Scale the divides we devise. We locked out the world, but we're locked inside. I hear you through the noise: the hope sung from the margins. My heartbeat just a step behind, I didn't know your name but I knew we were out of time.

[@cole1130]

Garrett with every song “Probably the topic I’m most passionate about” Just playing love you dad ❤️

[@StephenIC]

We need more people like him in the public conversation. Empathetic and open-minded.

[@Spyndle1210]

as a probably conservative public safety official, i fucking love Garrett. They are doing great work and i dont really think they will truly know the extent of their reach.

[@LostinthesoundSP]

I’m so glad they didn’t decide to cut this song from the album, it’s musically my favorite off WTEB: the tapping riff that starts the song and the vocal section that reads “Interpret the subtext...breathing in insecurity” are two of my favorite moments in all of SP’s discography. I’m sure the lyrical content would’ve probably remained nonetheless, which is definitely an important message. Thanks for sharing Tim and Garrett! P.S. I also love that this song references South Park haha

[@Nicejohnful]

omfg sameeeee!!!🤘🏼

[@jbasti227]

Loved the Cynic/Contortionist vibe with the vocoder section., I'm glad they kept it

[@macjbd1149]

All I hear Garrett say is we need to listen to one another, and be more understanding. Hard to argue with that message.

[@loganwelty7094]

I felt major inspiration from The Contortionist on this song. Another favorite of mine✨

[@Altrucent]

Me: "Lower Empire is by far my favourite track on the album, I love it" Garrett: "Lmao we almost didn't put it on the album"

[@z.cannon2334]

Easily my favorite track on an album full of favorites

[@ReapingDestruction92]

My favorite song off the album. Definitely felt a Native Blood successor vibes from this lyrically. So So glad they didn't cut this off the album. I want more songs like this form Silent Planet. Also, Garrett for president

[@uoCloud12]

Fave song off the record 🙌

[@AnimateTheWorld]

This song has lead me to finding and constantly listening to this band. Im so glad they kept it.

[@AirRedbox]

This song goes so hard.

[@wendtils]

We need more music about these topics in the music industry

[@michaeltuck5026]

Stoked that there's another album probably already in the works. Well done, gents

[@jeroenvandyck3172]

You're awesome dude. Lots and lots of respect 🤘. Keep doing what you do, because you're great at it.

[@TheDeathXross]

So they almost fucked up, is one of the best songs on the album

[@some1namedfriedchickenlemo593]

Honestly, the more experimental the music and sound itself actually is, apart from the lyrics, the more I love it 👌🏼 Please increase the frequency of the more unique sounding songs. This song was my favorite in this album too btw ❤

[@cjb1515]

Love this song! And I love that the lyrics themselves can still be interpreted differently. I felt that on their last record, it was hard to to form your own meaning in a song, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can still be a lot of fun. I personally connect this song to the brave children marching and protesting for necessary gun reform after the tragedies that they are faced with on a regular basis. That’s just my interpretation, and it’s in no way “right” or “wrong.” I hope everyone is able to get some different meaning out of these songs that are so fantastic ❤️

[@MintReactions]

You need to like...guest speak around the country at churches n stuff. Haha I could watch you talk for hours

[@jmelendeasy]

currently asking myself if this song about prisons he talks about around 4:35 is still hypothetical or its a planned release lol

[@yogurtlurker]

Gotta miss the footnotes in their recent releases

[@ElijahBCool]

Borders are the fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives both literally and figuratively. Conservatives tend to believe that borders are needed to create order, structure, and cohesiveness. Liberals tend to believe that borders hinder freedom, creativity, or are oppressive in nature. Being somewhere in the middle of the political spectrum I tend to believe that borders are absolutely needed and necessary and should be enforced, but should be used carefully as they tend towards legalism, authoritarianism, or tyranny.

[@theScienceOfFear2012]

quite disconcerting that this song almost didnt make the album.

[@yohananbadgardener]

I like this because I feel like he had described his view if trump best here, telling what he’s doing without it seeming like he sees only the bad, does anyone else wish Garrett and Trump could have lunch together? I’d love to see the result of that! ❤️

[@philincelmo9637]

I really wish the metal scene wasn't so overwhelmingly full of radical liberals, it gets tiring hearing only one perspective with only the most minute of differences.

[@DirtyMikeACTUAL13]

Build the wall. #MAGA

[@elijahselby7679]

“Crowds galvanized by vapid words and septic slurs Utterly transfixed by the fiction of the ‘greater good’”

[@nicklausbrain]

Sounds more like anti illegal immigration, anti leftist song to me. And it is great.

[@Hipno702]

how?

[@CGiant]

You hear what you wanna hear I guess

[@Adam-vp4oe]

I hope, because you are a Christian, you will make a song about the tragedy of abortions into the 9th month of the pregnancy, cutting infants into pieces, ripping them from the mothers womb and they attempt to scream as shown in “The Silent Scream” documentary, and then how we use those parts for our own research and medical treatment.