Name: Echoes in the Mirror by Roctopus
Duration: 3 min 42 s
Description: A haunting little number dedicated to a beautiful darkness

Royal Roulette (2023 Version)

A whip cracking metal jam with a big addictive hook.

Reflections was to be the lead single of Roctopus' follow up effort from their breakout self-titled LP. This audio was recovered from the wreckage site, where all members of band met their fate and drowned in the Atlantic Ocean.

No hope
Just fear
To take me!

No light
Just eyes
To watch me!

And if I break through the void…
What’s behind the glass?
Plays my fears like a toy
Wears my face like a mask

I want to run away
But he’s always where I am
There is no hiding
From the inverted man

I’m going crazy now
That must be what this is
Officially flew the roost
Mad like a fuckin goose 

What the fuck

Facing demons in reflections of myself
They know my sins
I can’t escape the sense of shame 
I’m not the one they think I am
I never knew I could slip so far
I see reflections and don’t know 
Who they are at all…

How could I love myself despite these flaws?

Reflections

RefleↄtionƧ

Big picture wise, it’s synth pop then something trippy for the bridge. Then I thought it worked fine with just piano/bass/drums towards the end so I let it turn into a singer-songwriter sort of thing. Is it new? Someone’s probably done it before. 
Songwriting wise, I did stick to the main chord progression from ‘Nightcall.’ There’s a part in the first chorus where I used negative harmony and it didn’t sound good so there’s pretty much only a second of that. During the second chorus there is a triad pair. A triad pair is when you a triad like the Red Lantern triad and the Twin Dragon triad and you pair them up. Just checking is anyone reads my theory explanations. Anyway, a triad pair is when the next triad doesn’t use any of the notes of the first triad. Then I did the subdominant -dominant key change but this time I used a deceptive cadence. The bass plays a bit of the dominant bebop scale to highlight the dominant chord. Then the synths play a harp arpeggio which is mostly stacked with 5ths. One of the basses also highlights the 3rd degree at times during the chorus. 

 Sound effects, the intro/last bars of the chorus use the same rhythm and similar sound effect to John Carpenters Escape From NY series. The backing male vocals at the last chorus reminded me of the creepy music they play when they’re summarizing horror films on WeChat.  The bass for the bridge was going for the synthesized bass of Redbone. There’s both real bass/synthetic bass Redbone and there’s 3 basses in this song. Also 2 drum kits which is similar to ‘Instant Crush.’ I really enjoyed doing the production on this one for once and I was doing my Itzy fist pumps like she does in ‘River.’ It’s headbangeable and danceable. 

Lyrically, the chorus is about self doubt. A person who thinks they are not good enough for someone else. So, not me then. The second verse is about bravado. I did read this thing on reddit where a person wrote, “I wrote this bridge. I don’t care if my favorite artist doesn’t like it. I like it. And that’s what matters.” He is damn right.


Lyrics:
“I told you you better hope I didn’t make it back”-Snake

Show me what dues I gotta pay, to make it just right, baby. (Cos it’s a pop song I need to say ‘baby’ once)
Past freight trains, and street lines, and credits are, on the incline  (I guess credits are indeed on the incline for me)
I don’t care if the damned won’t do. The damned can do what they like. (Queen of the Damned reference. I try to go for a Aaliyah in Queen of the Damned vibe when I dance)
Up Up down down square circle triangle (it was improvised cos’ after up up I just went down down and then I made it sound like a PS2 cheat code which is a reference to Metal Gear Solid where the main character is based off of Snake)
Into my head she’s long gone. Now she’s gone to a place of no return
When the rain comes. When the flood’s done. Dry your tears son. It’s time to go home (Watchmen reference)
Nations fall and, Nations rise, You’re a part of this, Enterprise
It’s why you shouldn’t stay, why you shouldn’t stay, why you shouldn’t stay, no more.

Verse 2: 
It’s death and bloodshed for the mainstream geek.  (Improvised lyrics often contradict themselves. Although there are some people who are geeks and only listen to mainstream music)
And when we put on these tunes we’ll make your knees weak.
Step by step, stone on stone, and when we build these homes you won’t feel so alone
I don’t care if the dam breaks loose. The damned can do what they like. (Pink Floyd reference)
We do what we do and we like what we like we don’t care what you say and we’re gonna make it right. 

Chorus 2:
In the month of may it’s why you shouldn’t fall so hard for these feelings.

The time we spend on sordid lakes
And now you find something new
Awake. Some say, it’s only for you.    (Awake is a nod to Childish Gambino)

Some say that, you’ll need me. 
Some say that, you’ll heal me.
It’s why you I never ever never ever x many times wanna feel this way no more.

Why You Shouldn't Stay

[ Albums ]
https://negativeheadphone.bandcamp.com

[ Youtube ]
https://www.youtube.com/c/negativeheadphone

[ Spotify ]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6yptVqiGbvP3HpQNz2XTyQ

[ Facebook Page ]
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[ Twitter ]
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Bandcamp

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Roctopus was a late 90’s metal band who met their fate on October 13th 2001 when their vessel was taken by the mighty sea, where it remains submerged to this day. Although prolific in their time together, only sparse recordings were recovered from the wreckage. Some demos, some full songs. There were several more tapes recovered, and they are being restored as emerging technologies allow. 

This page is a tribute to the greatest 90s metal band that ever drowned.

Echoes in the Mirror

Roctopus

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