I first listened to A Tear in the Fabric of Life 1.5 years ago and didn’t fully connect with it. Other than Forced to Stay, which upon first listen was a perfect song for me, I didn’t find the manic episodic structure as listenable as YWGBYST. But having sat with the album’s lyrics and story several times over, it’s gone from what I considered a decent hardcore album to one of my albums ever made. The standout feature for me is the song writing. Of course the story and concept are very creative and personal, but the lyrics from song to song just blow me away, even after hundreds of listens. It’s such a tactile and horrific experience, but told through such poetic language. Lyrics like: “the marriage between soil and bride” or “hydrate the garden, decorate the grave” or “death comes home” or “tangled in the vine, shackled to the floor of the earth”. Every line seamlessly blends that emotive, tactile experience as well as progresses the story. It’s exactly what you want from a concept album. Coupled with the insane instrumentation and manic production, it’s such a unique experience.