[instrumental] [electric guitar intro] steel screams in the dead of night thunder rolls ‘neath a blood-red sky drums of war call the blinded sons to a field where no victors come flags burn in the shadow’s breath marching proud to a nameless death every king wears a crown of lies while the nameless soldier dies hear the cries in the firestorm rain every life spent for another man’s gain ashes of the crown, falling to the ground no glory in the killing, only graves to be found ashes of the crown, all the world around the earth drinks the blood, but it makes no sound old men’s hands sign the fate of youth ink runs red with the buried truth iron beasts crawl the broken land made by none who will understand mothers weep for the sons they bore thrown away in the mouth of war history writes with a poisoned pen the same dark tale again and again hear the cries in the firestorm rain every life spent for another man’s gain ashes of the crown, falling to the ground no glory in the killing, only graves to be found ashes of the crown, all the world around the earth drinks the blood, but it makes no sound swords to rifles, cannons to flame different weapons, but the curse’s the same every banner hides the reaper’s face no one wins in the final race ride! ride! to the gates of hell! the truth’s a story they’ll never tell ashes of the crown, scattered in the storm flesh and steel rot where the dead are warm ashes of the crown, kingdoms fall away but the hunger for blood will never decay when the last drum fades and the night stands still only silence reigns on the killing hill [electric guitar outro]
