Hollow Hallelujah

Progressive alt-metal / nu-metal hybrid, dark and confrontational, ~96 BPM, halftime pulse with stop-start accents, Massive drop-tuned rhythm guitars, palm-muted chugs, wide bass guitar, dense tom-led drums, tight kick/snare, minimal leads, Deep baritone male lead with chest-forward tone and constant harsh-vocal authority: verses stay low and controlled with rasp on every line and an intelligible low false-cord roar at each line ending; pre-choruses stay tight and rising, ending harder; choruses are full intelligible low roar with sustained force; bridge is mostly in that same mode with stop-start punches; final chorus goes full finish, biggest and widest, Dry-forward mix, heavy low end, guitars thick but controlled, vocals upfront, limited ambience, punchy master, Single lead vocal, Keep riff weight over melody, Avoid polished pop lift, Avoid long instrumental breaks

V5.5

Neon cross in a smoke-stained sky,
Cheap stained glass over bloodshot eyes.
They sell peace like a branded cure,
But the fine print reads
“nothing sure.”

[Pre-Chorus - building, tight, restrained, hard ending]
I mouth the words, but I don’t feel saved,
Just a barcode stamped
on a borrowed faith.

[Chorus - full low roar, intelligible, wide, sustained]
Hollow hallelujah on my tongue,
Tastes like dust and TV reruns.
You say I’m healed if I just believe,
But your god don’t come
when I can’t breathe.

Hollow hallelujah in my throat,
Choking on every line you wrote.
If the truth is somewhere past this view,
Let me tear straight through
to something true.

[Verse 2 - low, darker, punchy, line-end low roar]
Pass that plate like a silent threat,
Buy your way out of old regrets.
They call doubt “a storm you ride on through,”
But it feels like I’m
the storm to you.

Choir sings in a perfect key,
While I fall flat where you can’t see.
You want clean hands, I got rust and tar,
You want a shining soul,
I’m all scars.

[Pre-Chorus - building, tighter, tense, hard ending]
You preach about light, but I see the wires,
Stage-smoke faith
and rented choirs.

[Chorus - full low roar, intelligible, wide, sustained]
Hollow hallelujah on my tongue,
Tastes like guilt I never outrun.
You say I’m whole if I play my part,
But your heaven won’t touch
this shattered heart.

Hollow hallelujah in my chest,
Every prayer turns counterfeit at best.
If your truth needs me hollowed out on cue,
I’d rather crawl through hell
than fake it through.

[Bridge - split low roar, stop-start, punchy, mostly full harsh]
I don’t need gold on a chain-link gate,
Don’t need fear with a cleaner name.
If love is real, it don’t arrive
With cameras on
and a script to mime.

I’ve seen mercy sold in a neon glow,
Seen shame dressed up in a Sunday coat.
If there’s a fire that burns down all pretense,
Let it find me raw—
not innocent.

[Final Chorus - biggest low roar, full finish, wide, relentless]
Hollow hallelujah on my tongue,
Burned by every borrowed anthem sung.
You say I’m saved if I kneel on cue,
But I won’t trade my breath
for a painted truth.

Hollow hallelujah, let it break,
Let the polished mask and pulpit shake.
If there’s a light beyond what you sell me through,
I’ll find it stripped down raw—
or die looking true.

2524/7500

[Verse 1 - low, chesty, spaced, line-end low roar] Sunday smile in a rented suit, Hands held high in these polished boots. They say “come as you are,” but I know that lie, ’Cause I taped my cracks just to qualify. Neon cross in a smoke-stained sky, Cheap stained glass over bloodshot eyes. They sell peace like a branded cure, But the fine print reads “nothing sure.” [Pre-Chorus - building, tight, restrained, hard ending] I mouth the words, but I don’t feel saved, Just a barcode stamped on a borrowed faith. [Chorus - full low roar, intelligible, wide, sustained] Hollow hallelujah on my tongue, Tastes like dust and TV reruns. You say I’m healed if I just believe, But your god don’t come when I can’t breathe. Hollow hallelujah in my throat, Choking on every line you wrote. If the truth is somewhere past this view, Let me tear straight through to something true. [Verse 2 - low, darker, punchy, line-end low roar] Pass that plate like a silent threat, Buy your way out of old regrets. They call doubt “a storm you ride on through,” But it feels like I’m the storm to you. Choir sings in a perfect key, While I fall flat where you can’t see. You want clean hands, I got rust and tar, You want a shining soul, I’m all scars. [Pre-Chorus - building, tighter, tense, hard ending] You preach about light, but I see the wires, Stage-smoke faith and rented choirs. [Chorus - full low roar, intelligible, wide, sustained] Hollow hallelujah on my tongue, Tastes like guilt I never outrun. You say I’m whole if I play my part, But your heaven won’t touch this shattered heart. Hollow hallelujah in my chest, Every prayer turns counterfeit at best. If your truth needs me hollowed out on cue, I’d rather crawl through hell than fake it through. [Bridge - split low roar, stop-start, punchy, mostly full harsh] I don’t need gold on a chain-link gate, Don’t need fear with a cleaner name. If love is real, it don’t arrive With cameras on and a script to mime. I’ve seen mercy sold in a neon glow, Seen shame dressed up in a Sunday coat. If there’s a fire that burns down all pretense, Let it find me raw— not innocent. [Final Chorus - biggest low roar, full finish, wide, relentless] Hollow hallelujah on my tongue, Burned by every borrowed anthem sung. You say I’m saved if I kneel on cue, But I won’t trade my breath for a painted truth. Hollow hallelujah, let it break, Let the polished mask and pulpit shake. If there’s a light beyond what you sell me through, I’ll find it stripped down raw— or die looking true.

0/500