The Ritual

[Intro — Distant bell, low sub-bass, whispered close-mic vocal] Lock the door. Kill the lights. You know why you came. [Verse 1 — Low, controlled, intimate] Candles burning down to nothing Shadows climbing up the walls Your coat is hanging by the doorway Like you knew you’d stay till dawn You draw a circle with your finger Right across the back of my hand Say my name like something sacred And I forget who I had planned to be [Pre-Hook — Ritual drums begin, tension rising] You don’t need to make a promise I don’t need you on your knees Just step closer to the silence And give me something real to believe [Hook — Huge dark pop-rock lift] Welcome to the ritual Where every little lie comes undone Where your hands tell the truth Before your mouth ever does Welcome to the ritual Leave the daylight at the door If you came here wanting ordinary You won’t want it anymore Cross the line Take your time Let the whole room disappear tonight You and me Something beautiful Inside the ritual [Post-Hook — Breathless whisper, distorted echo] Come closer. Closer. [Verse 2 — More swagger, drums heavier] Your heartbeat keeps the tempo Mine keeps trying to outrun Every warning in my bloodstream Every rule I’ve ever loved You laugh when I get nervous Like you know exactly why Then pull me by the collar Till there’s nowhere left to hide [Pre-Hook — Vocal gaining grit] Maybe this is just temptation Maybe that’s too small a word Because the way you look at me Feels almost holy when it hurts [Hook — Bigger guitars, harder drums] Welcome to the ritual Where every little lie comes undone Where your hands tell the truth Before your mouth ever does Welcome to the ritual Leave the daylight at the door If you came here wanting ordinary You won’t want it anymore Cross the line Take your time Let the whole room disappear tonight You and me Something beautiful Inside the ritual [Bridge — Beat drops, near-spoken vocal over low piano] Here’s the truth— I don’t believe in fate I don’t believe the stars Put anybody anywhere But when you walk into this room And look at me like that For a second I understand why people invented religion [Build — Deep drums returning one by one] One step closer One breath slower Your forehead touches mine The candles bend The room goes red You whisper— [Whispered] “Again.” [High Note] BEGIN THE RITUUUUUUAL! [Final Hook — Massive cinematic climax, soaring solo vocal] WELCOME TO THE RITUAL LET EVERY OLD VERSION BURN LET THE PERSON THAT I WAS BEFORE YOU FINALLY GET WHAT HE DESERVED Welcome to the ritual Where nothing has to stay the same You can call it sin or madness I just call it by your name Cross the line Take what’s mine Leave every careful thought behind You and me Something dangerous Something beautiful The ritual [Outro — Piano, distant bell, soft falsetto] Morning finds the candles gone Your hand still wrapped in mine Whatever happened here tonight We’ll do it again tomorrow.