[Intro: Intimate close-mic'd whisper, soft clean guitar picking, low sub bass hum] [Normal Mind State - Quiet, observant, rational] Looked in the bathroom mirror at 3 AM. Traced the jawline. Found the exact same line where your teeth press in. It made my stomach turn... [Scoffs, quiet breath] God, it made my stomach turn. [Verse 1: Soft whispered rap flow, close-mic'd, heavy sub bass pulse] [Normal Mind State - Introspective rap delivery] I wear your eyes, I wear your temper when I’m tired. Got the same short fuse, same volatile wire. I spent ten years trying to burn down your ghost. Now I catch my own voice sounding like what I hate most. How do I pull the weed without cutting the vein? How do I hate the driver while I’m driving the train? [Pre-Chorus: Rising post-grunge guitars, deep 808 drop, hushed intense delivery] [Slight Slip into Insanity - Strained, rapid breathing, twitchy cadence] There's a portrait on the wall I keep turning around. Holding two different truths while they pull me to the ground. Loving the hand that pushed me down the stairs... Fearing the face that I see in my prayers! [Chorus: Contrastingly soft intimate vocal tone, heavy distorted guitar crunch, booming 808s] [Normal Mind State - Melodic, sorrowful, grounded] It’s in the bloodline... running through my skin. Where do you end and where do I begin? I hate everything you did, I hate every scar you made. But I’m terrified to find out I’m just your second shade. Yeah, I’m just your second shade... [Verse 2: Rapid-fire intimate rap flow, gritty bass groove, erratic pitch] [Insanity State - Twitchy, unhinged, muttering to himself, voice breaking] You gave me the blueprint for how to destroy! Built a miniature monster out of a terrified boy! [Soft crazy laugh] Heh... look at me now! Now I handle people like they’re easy to break. Apologize after, just like your mistakes. Same cold glare when I’m backed in a corner. Is it genetic... or am I just a mourner?! [Pre-Chorus: Heavy drum build, swelling distorted guitars, erratic volume] [Insanity State - Overlapping rapid voices, desperate panic] Holding two different truths while they pull me to the ground! Loving the hand that pushed me down the stairs! [Voice cracked, laughing nervously] Fearing the face... fearing the face that I see in my prayers! [Chorus: Soft raspy vocals on top, massive post-grunge guitar wall, heavy 808 sub] [Normal Mind State - Sudden drop back to calm, ghostly precision] It’s in the bloodline... running through my skin. Where do you end and where do I begin? I hate everything you did, I hate every scar you made. But I’m terrified to find out I’m just your second shade. [Bridge: Heavy 808 impact, stripped-back distorted guitar drone, total breakdown] [Flipping violently between Normal and Insanity State] [Normal State - Soft, weeping]: I forgive you... [Insanity State - Sudden harsh spit]: I despise you! [Normal State - Terrified whisper]: I’m becoming you... [Insanity State - Unhinged manic scream-whisper]: LOOK AT ME! I'M BECOMING YOU! [Beat Switch: Massive post-grunge riff, crushing 808 drop, chaotic vocal layer] [Insanity State - Unstable, manic, breathing heavily] cut the tree down! cut it down! [Normal State - Quiet whisper]: ...but the root stays alive. cut the tree down! [Normal State - Soft breath]: ...how does a shadow survive? [Outro: Heavy guitars cut abruptly, clean acoustic picking returns, low sub-bass fades] [Normal Mind State - Exhausted, lucid, numb] Staring at my hands... Same long fingers. Same sharp knuckle... [Insanity State - Softest unhinged whisper]: I'm sorry you're stuck in here with me. [Faint intake of breath, single guitar string ring into silence] [End]
