[Verse 1] I walked the wires beneath the crown, Watched golden towers crumble down The gears all scream in copper tones While kings turn flesh to soot and bone I traded chains for coal-fed wings, Broke every bell the empire rings With goggles cracked and pockets torn I ride the storm that they have sworn [Pre-Chorus – Driving Build] Smoke on my breath, brass in my chest My name was erased—but I never left [Chorus – Anthemic, Full Band] This is the Empire of Rust! Where steam runs hot and hope combusts! We wear no badge, we take no throne— Our crowns are carved from gears and bone! This is the Empire of Dust! Where broken things still rise and trust! So strike the forge, light the spark— We bloom like fire in the dark! [Verse 2 – More Aggressive, Layered Vocals] They said we’d rot in smokestack graves But we grew roots beneath their blades We lit the sky with molten cries As sparks danced wild in coal-black eyes Clocktower hearts and rebel spines— We bled through rivets, sang through grime Their polished lies won’t slow our stride We dance on rails with ghosts as guides [Bridge – Violin Lead + Spoken Word Overlay] [Haunting, minor scale violin solo over ambient hiss and hammer clangs] [Spoken – male with filtered *vintage mic* FX] They built their world on broken backs… and wonder why it shakes. But we’ve learned how to waltz with collapse. [Female whisper, trailing] (And rust... remembers... everything...) [Final Chorus – Dual Vocals, Maximum Lift] This is the Empire of Rust! Born from flame, not built from trust! We rise through ash, our banners torn— We’re steam-fed stars the sky once scorned! This is the empire they denied— With bolts for blood, we will not hide! So oil your soul, strike the spark— We bloom like fire in the dark… We bloom like fire in the—dark… [Outro – Music Box Melody + Clock Tick FX] [Faint female harmony hums over music box fade] "Even empires rust... but dreams still tick."
