[INTRO — SPOKEN OVER SOFT, DUSTY PIANO] [MALE VOCALS — LAZY, SMOOTH, SLIGHTLY MUFFLED] Crap… are we on? [FEMALE VOCALS — SOFT, AMUSED] Yeah, Raz. Get with it, man. [MALE VOCALS — GROGGY, THEN ABRUPTLY ALERT] Shit! Okay. Let's try something new. You game? [FEMALE VOCALS — PLAYFUL, CONFIDENT] Hell yeah. Let's give it a shot. [BOTH VOCALS — SHOUTED TOGETHER] LET'S GOOOOOO! [The piano cuts out. A deep sub-bass pulse and dusty breakbeat kick in.] [VERSE 1] [MALE VOCALS — SOFT, WEARY, BUILDING TO A DESPERATE YELL] This morning drags on, the hours crawl, I spend my life and lose it all. Always sprinting, nowhere to run, What have I done? What have I become? A loaded chamber, a barrel of steel, A crooked smile and a desperate feel. The finish line is drawing near, I laugh at the end to disguise the fear. [CHORUS] [FEMALE VOCALS — AGGRESSIVE, RAPID-FIRE RAP WITH SHARP CONSONANTS] Laughing through the tears, Anger, war, and terror draw near. Blackened bottles, bruised-up skies, Vital clues beneath the lies. Viral victims, coughing crowds, covid Contagion cuts beneath the clouds. Stage the rage bait, sow the seed, Feed the lies and harvest greed. Hell is coming—hold on tight! Heroes awaken in the dead of night. Break the silence, ignite the fight! THE CHAINS WON'T HOLD US TONIGHT! [VERSE 2] [MALE VOCALS — LOW, MEASURED, GROWING MORE INTENSE] Hold on tight; it hasn't improved, Years roll by, but nothing moves. Still bound by fetters, bent to our knees, Choking on promises, begging for peace. We push against the powers that reign, Break our backs just to shoulder the chain. We claw at the walls, we scream at the sky, Try to part the seas while the well runs dry. [PRE-CHORUS] [MALE AND FEMALE VOCALS — BUILDING TOGETHER INTO A YELL] Hold out hope for a brighter tomorrow, But brace for the hatred, the cold, dark sorrow. The world lies broken, the end draws near— When the moment comes, will you rise or disappear? [Drums drop out. A distorted bass pulse remains.] [CHORUS] [FEMALE VOCALS — AGGRESSIVE RAP, FASTER AND MORE INTENSE] Laughing through the tears, Anger, war, and terror draw near. Blackened bottles, bruised-up skies, Vital clues beneath the lies. Viral victims, coughing crowds, covid Contagion cuts beneath the clouds. Stage the rage bait, sow the seed, Feed the lies and harvest greed. Hell is coming—hold on tight! Heroes awaken in the dead of night. Light the darkness, ignite the fight! BREAK YOUR CHAINS OR DIE INSIDE! [BRIDGE] [MALE VOCALS — DARK, BITTER, RHYTHMICALLY DELIVERED] [FEMALE VOCALS — WHISPERED CHANT, GROWING LOUDER EACH LINE] MALE: They knew what was coming. They paved the way, Built their thrones on the backs of slaves. Body broken, battered, and bruised, We're born to play a game they choose. FEMALE — WHISPERED CHANT: Play their game…baby play their game… MALE: They write the rules, then rig the race, Put on a smile, then spit in your face. Sell you the cure for the wounds they inflict, Keep you distracted while tightening the grip. FEMALE — CHANT GROWING LOUDER: YOUR GAME! YOUR RULES! YOUR CHAINS! YOUR FOOLS! MALE — EXPLODING INTO A YELL: HOW MUCH MORE MUST WE LOSE BEFORE WE REFUSE?! [Sudden silence. A single piano note rings out.] [FINAL VERSE] [MALE VOCALS — EXHAUSTED, RAW, GRADUALLY FALLING INTO A WHISPER] A failed experiment, a fractured design, Recognition arrives at the end of the line. We rot in the ruins of all we became, Trading our freedom for comfort and shame. The old world crumbles, the new one decays, We sleep through the fire while the ashes rain. Is this our ending? Is this our fate? Or did we build the walls around our own escape? [The beat slows. The piano returns, accompanied by distant, distorted female whispers.] [MALE VOCALS — ALMOST SILENT] We had the keys… We had the choice… We had the chance… [A long pause.] [OUTRO] [FEMALE VOCALS — COLD, INTIMATE WHISPER] Enjoy your chains.
