[Intro] [deep sub bass pulse, filtered synth swells, distant ritual chant] [Verse 1] [female vocals] There’s a chorus in the dark Ancient women standing at the gates (at the gates) Reading out the omens of war As the armor and the rage intoxicate (intoxicate) In the smoke they draw a burning circle Ash and embers crown the battlefield floor In the hush a single question Is this our fate, or could we choose no more? (choose more?) You say, “Is this our fate?” and I’m singin’ [Chorus] [full bass swell, spaced-out chords, vocal harmonies] Sometimes you’re marching into fire Sometimes you call the slaughter “honor” Raise your steel high, act like love should come second Oh my gods, you won’t be the law that rules me Sometimes you’re crowned as sacred duty Sometimes you glorify the ruins The temple falls, but that’s not holy triumph Lay down your pride, let something deeper move me You’re just the echo of the dead (Just the echo of the dead) [Verse 2] [muted dub chords, bass and percussion continue] Every time you come, you wear his face Let that hard-eyed hunger crawl under my skin, see All the names you carve in stone keep getting sharpened on my bones You keep telling me that blood is legacy’s hymn But I rise from my knees, now I’m singin’ [Verse 3] [dynamic builds, synths swell] I recognize you, war’s ancient mask Selling me ashes like it’s all I can ask (all I ask) You preach “glory” over open graves You call it “peace” when the silence is a conquered slave (conquered slave) Call it “honor” but it’s just you that’s feedin’ [Chorus] [full bass swell, spaced-out chords, vocal harmonies] Sometimes you’re marching into fire Sometimes you call the slaughter “honor” Raise your steel high, act like love should come second Oh my gods, you won’t be the law that rules me Sometimes you’re crowned as sacred duty Sometimes you glorify the ruins The temple falls, but that’s not holy triumph Lay down your pride, let something deeper move me You’re just the echo of the dead (Just the echo of the dead) [Verse 4] [band punches in harder, bass grows thicker] You kept the pride but you cut compassion You call it truth but it’s just a rationed passion (rationed passion) You say we’re too soft, that we should be stone That our worth is only weighed in the cities you own (cities you own) But our tears are where the roots keep deepen’ [Bridge] [half-time groove, tom-like echoes, huge reverbs] [female vocals] I’m allowed to choose the quiet thunder (quiet thunder) I’m allowed to end the blade’s decree (blade’s decree) Guess what, I breathe in smoking ruins And still find seeds that are begging us to see [male vocals] I am the soldier walking out of line (out of line) I drop the spear and lay it in the dust (in the dust) You’re not the oath that still can bind me You’re not the gods that ever earned my trust Now watch me trade my armor for her silence And I am tearing off your laurel, feel it rust [Chorus] [full bass swell, spaced-out chords, vocal harmonies] Sometimes you’re marching into fire Sometimes you call the slaughter “honor” Raise your steel high, act like love should come second Oh my gods, you won’t be the law that rules me Sometimes you’re crowned as sacred duty Sometimes you glorify the ruins The temple falls, but that’s not holy triumph Lay down your pride, let something deeper move me You’re just the echo of the dead (Just the echo of the dead) Oh my gods, this fire’s what you woke in me Yeah, you woke this fire in me [Verse 5] [drop to bass and sparse percussion, vocal up front] You always swore that rage was all we had Didn’t see the ways we shattered and survived (and survived) I won’t change the core of who I am But who I am is always learnin’ how to stand (learnin’ to stand) My own quiet heart is louder than your drummin’ [Verse 6] [bass and echoes swell back in] The ones who matter never call me “too weak” They see the dawn in every scar along my cheek (on my cheek) You speak of “victory” like it’s a crown But I make peace out of cinders when you burn me down (burn me down) Every time you strike, I feel my flame deepen [Final Chorus] [full bass swell, spaced-out chords, vocal harmonies] Sometimes you’re marching into fire Sometimes you call the slaughter “honor” Raise your steel high, act like love should come second Oh my gods, you won’t be the law that rules me Sometimes you’re crowned as sacred duty Sometimes you glorify the ruins The temple falls, but that’s not holy triumph Lay down your pride, let something deeper move me You’re just the echo of the dead (Just the echo of the dead) [Outro] [female vocals] Burn out, I will dance in your ash Guess what, I guard this silence like a flame (we will dance in your ash) [male vocals] Burn out, I will lay down my wrath Guess what, I feel reborn inside your fade (we will dance in your ash)
