While "Legends Of The Shires" represented a self-contained narrative that allowed Threshold to let their imagination run wild, "Dividing Lines" forgoes that conceptual approach in favor of a more traditional group of songs connected by a hazy but unmistakable common theme. "'Legends' had more of a message of redemption, while 'Dividing Lines' has a tougher narrative - it's more of a collection of cautionary tales," West explains. "There's a political commentary woven in. In that respect, it reminds me a little of our 2004 album 'Subsurface,' which featured songs like 'Mission Profile,' 'Art Of Reason' and 'Opium,' which dealt with issues like propaganda, censorship and corruption. So it's in that realm. If there's a positive message from the album, it's to stay true to yourself, trust your heart and don't get carried away by what's going on around you. But we live in uncertain times, and the overall mood of the album reflects that."