[Intro: immediate instrumental full-band entry, 7/8] [Lead guitar states a haunting four-note motif in held feedback tones; Hammond and picked bass answer; same close acoustic drum kit used throughout] [High guitars fade in as staggered sustained notes and swelling echo trails, a descending shower of tone, not fast picking] [Verse 1: 4/4, low male baritone, intimate, calm, almost spoken] [Muted bass pulse; quiet kick, defined snare and closed hi-hat; leave room after each phrase] Darkness, deep and endless darkness Not a single voice is raised The hearts of the oppressed Await the hour of resurrection Every eye is closing Every ear is turned away At the bottom of the night They wait for the coming day [Instrumental I: 7/8, 12 bars] [Lead guitar develops sustained melodic motif, slow pitch bends, restrained feedback] [Secondary guitars overlap high swelling tones; Hammond supplies short answers; no guitar arpeggios] [Same drum kit: restrained kick, woody snare, one short tuned-tom fill] [Verse 2: 4/4, cool theatrical baritone, no growling] [Dry voice close to listener; lead guitar responds only between vocal phrases] The kings of three great nations Laugh with their golden teeth They play with countries like chessmen Moving pieces for their pleasure One step forward, someone falls One step backward, someone disappears And still the kings are laughing Showing their golden teeth [Refrain 1: quietly insistent, lower middle register, no vocal push] Oh, who can stop this march? Oh, who can stop this madness? Who will stand against the tide? Who will break the silence? [Instrumental II: 5/4, 16 bars, lead guitar featured] [Long expressive lead guitar phrases; controlled harmonic feedback, no showy runs] [Grand piano and Hammond answer in counterpoint; brief Minimoog response] [Bass plays independent melody; kick and snare retain the same sound and level] [Verse 3: steady tempo, tension from articulation, not loudness] Mephisto, master of cunning Summons Lucifer from the dark Together they defy the heavens And raise their challenge against God They build a tower to the heavens And cast their shadows across the earth Humanity has lost its wisdom And walks hand in hand with madness Everyone is speaking of justice Everyone has buried the truth [Refrain 2: more urgent but still controlled, measured rising notes] Oh, who can stop this march? Oh, who can stop this madness? They shout the name of God so loudly They drown out every word He spoke [Instrumental III: guitar soundscape, 4/4, 16 bars] [High electric guitars bloom one at a time as sustained notes and tape-echo ripples] [Central lead guitar plays the motif over them; layered tones cascade, not repeating broken chords] [Keep cymbals sparse, bass distinct and drum kit dry; gradually remove layers] [Bridge: reduced arrangement; low confidential male voice] [12-string accents, distant Mellotron, bass long notes; drums play sparse cross-stick and soft kick using same kit] Open the cover of the Bible And read the words written inside A thousand lines against their God A thousand ways to justify their lies The words that once spoke of love Are rewritten into hatred The mouths that preach forgiveness Command another sin [Build: four bars; bass motion grows, controlled low-tom figure, guitar melody rises] [Hammond and Mellotron recede; NO extra drum tracks, NO increased drum loudness] [Final Verse: strong but contained male vocal, articulate and grave, never screamed] The kings of three great nations Place their hands upon the book "I swear before God!" Their voices fill the hall "I swear before God!" And still the kings are laughing Showing their golden teeth [Final Refrain: resonant, open tone at moderate force; conviction, not shouting] [Same drum sound as first verse; simpler 4/4 kick/snare groove, sparse ride, one brief tom answer] Oh, who can stop this march? Oh, who can stop this madness? Darkness, deep and endless darkness Not a single voice is raised The hearts of the oppressed Await the hour of resurrection [Finale: 9/8, instrumental; lead guitar holds soaring motif] [High guitar tones descend through swells and delays; Hammond leaves gaps for lead] [Drums stay on the same acoustic kit, clear snare body; controlled tom accents, NO crash barrage] [Drop guitars one by one; bass and drums make a brief unified stop] [Outro: alone with one sustained guitar, intimate dry male whisper] "I swear before God..." Upon a Bible With nothing but a cover [End: natural feedback decay to silence; no voices or drums return]
