The Emerald City Requiem

[Intro] [The sound of a vinyl needle dropping onto a record, crackling. A slow, menacing 90's hip-hop beat begins with a deep, funky bass line. A lone, distorted guitar plays a simple, ominous riff over the top. The stage is dark, lit by a single, flickering streetlight in the ruins of Oz.] [Movement I: The Lie (Gangster Rap)] [Papa Midnight - vocals are a calm, gravelly, rhythmic rap, like a street-corner narrator] Yo, let me tell you 'bout a city of green The prettiest hustle you ever seen They called it Oz, the land of the free But every gold brick was an I.O.U. The Wizard on his throne, a paper god Sold you a dream and called it law He printed money, thin as air And sold you stock in your own despair The Yellow Brick Road, a path of gold? Nah, son, that's where your soul got sold A one-way ticket on a train of debt The first rule of the game is you ain't won yet [Movement II: The Awakening (Melodic Hard Rock)] [The hip-hop beat fades. A powerful, driving, Pink Cream 69-style hard rock riff kicks in with thunderous drums. The Wanderer steps into the light, her voice a soaring, defiant metal tenor.] [The Wanderer] We walked that road, we played the part With hopeful and naive young hearts But every signpost was a lie Beneath a sick and emerald sky! I found my friends in fields of rust Their spirits crushed, their hope was dust! A man of straw who sought a mind! A man of tin with no heart to find! [Pre-Chorus] [The music builds with a powerful drum fill.] [The Wanderer and the Companions] We saw the little man behind the screen! The phantom in their great machine! And in our hands, the silver gleamed! A truth that could not be unseen! [Chorus: The Requiem (Epic True Metal)] [The song explodes into a massive, orchestral True Metal chorus. Choirs, heavy guitars, and soaring vocals.] [The Wanderer and the Choir] THIS IS THE EMERALD CITY'S REQUIEM! A final prayer for foolish men! The Wizard's throne is turning into rust! His kingdom built on broken trust! We'll tear the curtain from the sky! And watch the old world bleed and die! This is the end of all the lies! The night the revolution flies! [Movement III: The Pantheon of Monsters (Chaotic Metal Breakdown)] [The chorus ends, and the music becomes a chaotic montage. It rapidly shifts between styles.] [A distorted voice over a cold, industrial beat with a monotonous BUZZ] The Buzzer calls from frozen ground! A final, terrifying sound! [A different, deeper voice over an atmospheric Black Metal riff] The sun awakes to cleanse the stone! And you will face its wrath alone! [A third, serene, multi-layered voice over a futuristic synth arpeggio] Your flesh is flawed, your time is done The great machine has already won [Movement IV: The Choice (Power Ballad / Rap Bridge)] [The chaos stops. The music breaks down into a clean, emotional guitar melody.] [The Northern Witch's Spirit - an ethereal female vocal] Take your silver, leave this place And find a small and quiet space... [The Southern Witch's Spirit - a commanding female vocal] Or give your soul to the machine A perfect world, forever clean... [Papa Midnight - a cynical, whispered rap over the melody] They're sellin' cages, kid, don't you see? One's made of hope, one's made of circuitry But a cage is a cage, that's the only truth The wasted promise of your youth [Movement V: The Gambit (True Metal Climax)] [The music builds from the ballad into a triumphant, heroic metal anthem.] [The Wanderer and the Companions - their voices unified and powerful] We choose no master, choose no god! Upon this broken, sullied sod! We'll build our garden in the grey! And live to fight another day! The gambit's not to win their war! But BE the world worth fighting for! [Chorus: The Requiem (Final Time)] [The True Metal chorus returns, more powerful and hopeful than before.] [All Protagonists and the Choir] THIS IS THE EMERALD CITY'S REQUIEM! A final prayer for foolish men! THE WIZARD'S THRONE IS TURNING INTO RUST! OUR KINGDOM BUILT ON LOVE AND TRUST! WE'LL TEAR THE CURTAIN FROM THE SKY! AND WATCH THE OLD WORLD BLEED AND DIE! THIS IS THE END OF ALL THE LIES! THE DAY THE HUMAN SPIRIT FLIES! [Outro: Gangster Rap / Metal Fusion] [The heavy metal riff continues, but the 90's boom-bap beat from the intro slides back in underneath it. Papa Midnight steps forward one last time, a smirk on his face.] [Papa Midnight - a final, confident rap over the fusion beat] Yeah... that's a real nice story, sing it loud and proud Go on and build your little garden for the hopeful crowd You can have your heaven, your little patch of green... (He chuckles) But the Devil runs the streets, if you know what I mean. The game ain't over. Not 'til I say so. (He looks directly at the audience) Welcome to Oz. [The beat and the riff cut out simultaneously, leaving only the sound of a vinyl record's final, empty groove hissing into silence.] [End]