Songfacts®:

• This song acts as Part 2 to the preceding track "Far From Heaven" and the two tracks share the same themes. Guitarist and producer John Petrucci told Musicradar.com: "We specifically wanted to write a more epic piece, and when we do that, we know that we're not bound to any sort of structure as far as verses and choruses."
• Petrucci discussed the song's arrangement with MusicRadar: "Arrangement-wise, it's very non-traditional, so you hear a lot of breakdowns. There's a great John Myung moment where he does an ostinatto part in the first verse. He's going in something of a circle, and it has a real hypnotic effect, drawing everybody in.
  
  The song is extremely proggy, with a lot of keyboard breaks. As a guitarist, I had a great time on the section that's very 'La Villa Strangiato' [by Rush]. It starts out kind of bluesy, then it's kind of jazzy, and it builds and builds. I got a chance to use so many aspects of guitar playing: phrasing and melodic elements, blues, jazz, shred. It was very satisfying to record. Alex Lifeson was definitely in my mind as I was playing."