Mark Jansen commented on the concept of the album: "The Holographic Principle" deals with the near future, where virtual reality allows people to create their own worlds which can't be distinguished from 'reality as we know it'.
About the lyrical inspiration the band said: "'The Holographic Principle' deals with the near future wherein virtual reality has taken off and allows people to create their own virtual worlds which can't be distinguished from 'reality as we know it.'