[INTRO – DIRTY CLEAN GUITAR RIFF, SLIGHT CHORUS EFFECT, MINIMAL DRUMS (JUST HI-HAT). VOCALS START MUTED, SLIGHTLY OFF-MIC, LIKE A WORN-OUT CONFESSION.] (VERSE 1) They sold the truth for a neon screen Now we bow to hollow kings The rich get fat on borrowed time While the broken choke on dollar signs [KICK IN FUZZY GUITAR DISTORTION, SLACKER DRUM GROOVE, BASS GROANS LOW AND DRAGGING. VOCALS GET GRITTIER, MORE STRAINED.] (VERSE 2) We drown in pills, pretend we’re fine Trade our souls for a dopamine lie Laugh at God, then curse His name When everything burns, we’re all the same [PRE-CHORUS – GUITARS CLEAN UP BRIEFLY, LET VOCALS CARRY. DRUMS TIGHTEN, TENSION BUILDS.] (PRE-CHORUS) The sky's gone dark, the wires are frayed Tell me who’ll forgive what we’ve betrayed [CHORUS – EXPLODE INTO HEAVY DISTORTION, BASS THICK AND DRONING, DRUMS RAW AND SLIGHTLY SLACK. VOCALS RASPY, PLEADING, WITH SLIGHT REVERB.] (CHORUS) We’re ashes in the rain Burning slow but feel no pain Chasing gods we made from dust Now the ground don’t carry trust We scream and crawl and curse the flame But never call the holy name [POST-CHORUS – GUITARS HANG ON SINGLE BENDING NOTE, DRUMS POUND AROUND IT, LIKE A COLLAPSE.] (POST-CHORUS) Yeah, we built this cage And now we rot inside the rage [VERSE 3 – DROP TO LOW CLEAN GUITAR, LIGHT BASS LINE. VOCALS QUIET, ALMOST WHISPERED, LIKE A PRAYER LEFT UNSAID.] (VERSE 3) I saw a preacher on a screen He sold his soul to sell a dream I saw a child with empty eyes Who never knew the reason why [BUILD GUITAR BACK INTO DISTORTION MID-VERSE. DRUMS GET LOUDER. VOCALS GET ROUGHER.] (VERSE 4) And every flag we raise up high Covers another mother’s cry We bite the fruit, deny the tree And wonder why we’re never free [PRE-CHORUS – SHORTER THIS TIME, VOCALS ALMOST YELLED THROUGH GRITTY GUITAR.] (PRE-CHORUS) We wear our chains like they're a crown Then beg for grace when it all falls down [CHORUS – FULL VOLUME, NO HOLDING BACK. VOCALS RAW, UNFILTERED.] (CHORUS) We’re ashes in the rain Burning slow but feel no pain Chasing gods we made from dust Now the ground don’t carry trust We scream and crawl and curse the flame But never call the holy name [BRIDGE – GUITAR SOLO, MESSY AND BENT, NOTES SLIDE IN AND OUT OF TUNE. DRUMS CHAOTIC, THEN DROP OUT.] (BRIDGE) GUITAR WAILS LIKE A SIREN THEN FADES INTO CLEAN ARPEGGIOS. VOCALS RETURN, BROKEN AND HOPEFUL. There’s still a spark beneath the clay A whisper deep that won’t decay The stone was rolled, the grave undone But we still run, we still run… [FINAL CHORUS – STRIPPED BACK FIRST HALF, THEN FULL-BAND BLAST ON FINAL LINES. VOCALS SHOUTED THEN SOFTENED INTO REVERB FADE.] (CHORUS) We’re ashes in the rain Falling slow with holy shame You still call, though we’ve gone deaf You still heal what we have left We scream and crawl and curse the flame But still… You know… Our name [OUTRO – FADE GUITAR INTO FEEDBACK LOOP. DRUMS TAP OUT WITH A FINAL DRAGGING KICK. VOCALS MURMUR A FINAL “AMEN” UNDER STATIC.]
