[soft piano] [clear male vocal] O unholy night, the stars have ceased their shining. This is the night your heaven turned away. Long lay the world beneath its gods and prophets, learning to kneel, to suffer and obey. Then from the dark another voice came calling— not from above, but somewhere deep within. --- [drums begin building] Fall to your knees. But not before your savior. O night unholy... Let sacrament begin. O night unholy... O night... O night unholy. --- [guitars enter] You built your throne from guilt and absolution. You called desire a sickness of the soul. You taught the flesh to beg for your forgiveness, then praised the wound and worshipped being whole. So ring the bells. Let every saint bear witness. Tonight the faithful learn another creed. --- [heavy chorus] FALL TO YOUR KNEES— BUT NOT BEFORE THEIR HEAVEN. LET EVERY ALTAR SEE WHAT WE HAVE DONE. O NIGHT UNHOLY— NO FATHER, SON, OR SPIRIT. WE CALLED INTO THE DARK— AND SOMETHING CAME. --- [organ / guitar riff] [close male vocal] You wanted proof. Your priests gave you silence. Your saints gave you stone. Your god gave you rules. --- [whisper] I gave you an answer. --- [verse] Take down the halo. Extinguish the candles. Let stained-glass martyrs watch us from above. No more confession. No manufactured penance. No sacred shame disguised as holy love. You prayed for light. But darkness heard you calling. And darkness came— not cruel, but beautiful. --- [choir] **Gloria...** --- [lead] Not for him. --- [choir, louder] **GLORIA...** --- [lead] Try again. --- [heavy entrance] **GLORIA IN TENEBRIS!** --- [lead] There you are. --- [chorus] FALL TO YOUR KNEES— NOT OUT OF FEAR, BUT KNOWING. LET EVERY BELL DENY THE THRONE ABOVE. O NIGHT UNHOLY— TEAR HEAVEN FROM YOUR SHOULDERS. YOU WERE NEVER BORN TO BE ASHAMED OF LOVE. --- [guitar solo / choir] --- [bridge — clear intimate vocal] They promised judgment. I offer choice. They demanded worship. I asked for your voice. They called you fallen the moment you questioned. Called you wicked the moment you wanted. Called you lost the moment you stopped being afraid. --- [pause] Tell me— which one of us sounds cruel now? --- [huge drums] --- [lead] Let the cathedral hear us. --- [choir] **Gloria in tenebris!** --- [lead] Let the saints hear us. --- [choir] **Gloria in tenebris!** --- [lead] Let heaven hear us. --- [everything drops] [close whisper] If it's listening. --- [massive guitars / organ / orchestra] O UNHOLY NIGHT— LET EVERY HEAVEN TREMBLE. LET EVERY ORGAN SHAKE THE SACRED STONE. THE HOST IS COLD. THE ALTAR STANDS ABANDONED. NO VOICE ABOVE US GETS TO CLAIM OUR SOULS. --- [choir] **GLORIA!** --- [lead] NO MORE CONFESSION. --- [choir] **GLORIA!** --- [lead] NO MORE FORGIVENESS. --- [choir] **GLORIA!** --- [lead] NO MORE ASKING HEAVEN FOR PERMISSION TO EXIST. --- [final chorus] FALL TO YOUR KNEES— IF THAT IS WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO. BUT NEVER KNEEL BECAUSE THEY TAUGHT YOU HOW. O NIGHT UNHOLY— THE GATES ARE OPEN WIDE NOW. THE GODS ARE SILENT. --- [everything cuts] [clear close vocal] We aren't. --- [massive final entrance] O NIGHT UNHOLY! O NIGHT DIVINE NO MORE! O NIGHT UNHOLY! LET EVERY BELL DECLARE THE WAR! O NIGHT— O NIGHT UNHOLY! --- [choir + guitars] **GLORIA IN TENEBRIS!** **GLORIA IN TENEBRIS!** **GLORIA IN TENEBRIS!** --- [instruments slowly decay] [close male vocal] You wanted something to believe in. --- [pause] Believe in yourself. --- [distant choir] **Gloria...** --- [whisper] Merry Christmas.
