The song "Born As a Stranger" is based on the
Robert A. Heinlein novel
Stranger in a Strange Land and was originally intended for
Iron Maiden.
Blaze Bayley began writing the track for his intended third album with the band, but when he was replaced as lead singer by the returning
Bruce Dickinson, Bayley instead repurposed the song for
Silicon Messiah. Bayley's tenure with Iron Maiden also informed the bonus tracks "The Day I Fell to Earth", which deals with his abrupt departure from the band, and "Motherfuckers R Us", which recalls a concert on the North American leg of the
Virtual XI World Tour. Other influences on the album include
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by
Philip K. Dick, which inspired the song "Identity", and the film
Gattaca, upon which both "Reach for the Horizon" and "The Launch" were based. == Track listing ==