TITLE: The Saboteur
ARTIST: Shadowmachine
GENRE: Industrial/Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
LABEL: Liberation/Nomad Records
TRACK LISTING:
1. The Saboteur (A-Side)
2. Get Down, Make Love (B-Side, Queen Cover)
BACKGROUND/RECORDING:
"I used to be kind of fucked up," says band leader and frontman Trent D'Amour. "I was living in Lake Orion, I was in high school, and I spent all my time just really fucking high and kind of just coasting. There were...people who I thought were my friends, that...when I stopped using harder drugs, I just kind of realized that they were all fucking leeches. I mean, I kind of just woke up and went 'what the hell am I doing? these people are fucking poisonous.' So the song is basically describing my feelings for a particular person I used to know who's name shall remain anonymous. Not because I give two fucks about them, but because I don't want them to sue me."

SONG DESCRIPTION:

The song is a departure from Shadowmachine's previously electronically based style, instead, the song is based around very minimalist, clean guitars, and a steady drum beat, with atmospheric electronic accents in the background. After a bit of guitar and drum work, Trent's vocals come in, soft, almost whispered,

i just don't understand
how you can be the perfect liar and
i just can't understand
how you and everyone conspire ,just

The guitars get louder, and a bit distorted, while Trent spits the lyrics out with genuine sounding disgust,

lying again and again
foot in mouth and head up ass
sick as shit, filthy fucking swine

have you ever felt real pain, precious?
i wanna make you feel like this
idiot, sick of hearing you cry

The song becomes a bit more intense for the chorus, Trent's vocals becoming full and soaring, although the guitar remains reserved, only the drum beat becomes more frantic,

so much pain you slit your wrists
and wait for the blood to dry
you're so inept and so content
to lay right down and die

The vocals fade away, leaving only the soft, clean guitar and steady drum beat for a few seconds, before the second verse starts,

don't misunderstand
or think my hate is only temporary and
don't think i'm a friend
my only wish is to see you suffer so

And returns back to the pre-chorus,

you lie to my face again
foot and mouth and head up ass
sick as shit, filthy fucking swine

have you ever felt real pain, precious?
how do you cope with worthlessness?
sycophant, waiting for the king to die

Instead of a chorus, the guitars become distorted again, accompanying agressively spoken vocals,

overrated, a way out
your firm belief in an afterlife
subjugated, to your faith
truncated your worthless life

There is another instrumental break, with a short, clean guitar solo before returning to the pre-chorus,

you lie to my face again
foot and mouth and head up ass
sick as shit, filthy fucking swine

have you ever felt real pain, precious?
how do you cope with worthlessness?
sycophant, waiting for the king to die

The chorus starts, all the tension that's been building the song up is released as the guitars become distorted and full volume and Trent's voice becomes loud and pained,

animosity and hate have
vengefully sucked me dry
you're so inept and so content
i pledge today you'll die

The chorus motif continues, Trent singing the last lines with heart,

if you wish to start it over
if your wishes are sincere
pull the trigger, kick the chair, my dear

the song stops, abruptly.