The album continued The Vapors' dark lyrical themes, taking them to a slightly darker level, with "Jimmie Jones" being about American cult leader Jim Jones, "Isolated Case" about state oppression and disillusionment with politics, "Civic Hall" about the assault Dave suffered at the hands of overzealous Metropolitan policemen, "Spiders" and "Can't Talk Anymore" about mental illness, and the title track being about the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.

Even those songs about relationships - "Daylight Titans", "Johnny's in Love (Again)" and "Lenina" - are tinged with an edge of being in a suffocating society and a malevolent state apparatus.

44] and the epic title track), the album failed to chart in the UK, possibly as a result of the lack of promotion on the part of their record label.

[citation needed] The United Artists record company had been bought out by EMI in 1980 and later renamed Liberty, and many of the bands who came across as part of the deal complained of poor treatment by their disinterested new owner.

Edward Bazalgette was left to be the only remaining founding member and was forced to finally break-up the band, instead deciding to focus more on other intellectual pursuits, later becoming a professional film executive.