1. ESCHATON

I see them in the last of stands
Men of virtue with unbarred arms
Weirs poised against the fate
What veracity facing salt-laden storm
Mustering the past retreating in hast
Yet tide waits for no one
As must we march in bain
On eve of brighter dawns to come
Until falls the rain

What was sent fort must now return home
All paths will close, all bridges burn to stone


2. THE LAST OF STANDS

Banners flying on burning shade
The bones have been cast
Trenches dug on decayed
On borders never meant to blast

By the time the bell tolls
New names engraved to the story
Faces carved to hollow halls
Pride that outlives the glory

Rivers bleed memories
Victory or death!

Rivers bleed memories
to ravaged shore
Driest dust holds crests
of thousand monarchs
But my roots are to shallow to bore
Through iron crust men left
with their march

Not for the king but for a throne
Not for the land but for a home
My cause is just hate as pure
Thus godgiven lust keeps my aim sure

If we are to die tonight
Would grave be our pretense
If we are to fall from sight
Martyrs left unavenged

What worth in war waged
Vengeance and hate assuaged
What worth in life wasted
Freedom to the brightest cage
What answers give the lion
When prey calls for judgement
True nature of mankind's scion
As child inherits the scent


3. FAR FROM ANY FATE

Hear we too are made of fated stars
Cold and far apart, shine the bright mirage
Judging by the true heart
Gone so vague with time,
Frail with sleep, cruel with savage crimes

Seam my wandering eyes, dim the pryin sight
Stand guard the blade and wings in vigil
Beneath red wool we children sleep
Safe from the shunned fables and yonder deeds
In the nest of slithering dreams
Fright between this night and becoming eventide

Two heads have I
Twin voices with a will of third
One of dusk, one of monring sky
And each talon raised lambs impaled
My tail devouring words

Will you march with the dream
Or will you tread alone
Will you stare at the flames
Cruel play of shades,
will faltering fades
Will you hold my doubt
that left us scarred
Dream upon we drown

Your dread concealed
Fools quiet fears
Are wisdom to wield
And with lies cohere
The leash must be long
Slaves shackles share
Cast of imbrued freedom
Threat of heaven impaired


4. SONG OF MOURN

No man an island
Swept away with rising tide
Land a mare, saddled thrice
By masters eager to ride

With open arms whole west disarmed
Blood lets the blood, scars on feuds to carve

Between lines claimed
Iron curtains waive on wind
Entwined on soil of mine
And honor coiled here within

With open arms whole west disarmed
Yield the last vanguard
Blood lets the blood scars on feuds to carve

Long gone are the voice and lore
Our daughters fled these shores
Who then bears the songs of mourn
With new horizons shadowed from dawn

Long gone are the springtime born
These hands of mine sent them forth
Who then bears the wounds of war
When my loins are bleeding to core


5. SUNDER THE SEVENTH SEAL

Have I given to sleep
Sight blind and dry
Mouth void but weeps
Silence the loudest cry

Retch this nursling reverie marred
Fed to us, sons unshorn, ill-starred
Bond more binding than thickest blood
Word that was dead and now reborn


6. DAWN WITHOUT A SOUL

Deprive a man reach of hope
And belief sincere
in tomorrow whole

Horns that fire reckoning cry
Aroused the wake not to morning of light
Revelation a shade dark nor white
Chaos holds the sky
I will not dream
I will not serve
Shall they lead or shall they call
Where loyalties lie and where they fall

Lead the lost on broken knees and
Gather the hounds amongst the sheep
Words forever salted revile
Upon a throat of a howl contrite
A revolution, a rising tide
Cinders raked ignite
I will not serve
I will not dream
Shall they lead or shall they call
Where loyalties lie and where they fall

As fever wanes, drums cease
on ramparts torn
Be it peace, be it still before the storm
Bury the swords, heroes embalm
Seeds for the blooming seasons warm
Wait for dream reborn
and harvest of war


7. MOTHER OF UNBELIEVERS

Shone the sign, shone the star
Wed on vile faith
From the cradle of dust and war
Rose prophetess pure unlaid
Celestial whore, virgin goddess

Daughter of deceivers
Mother of unbelievers

When gods of any child
Any child of nine
Turn to worship their kin as divine
Truth that frees no soul
What is shorn atones no vow
What is born is forever lost

Childbride riding the red ropes
From these grins the fate was sung
Against these throats the promise broke
Marked with duskblood and scum
In sacred forgiveness defile goddess

What is binding must be shorn
As will fire retaliate in kind
Never been a flame without a thorn
So must light reveal and blind


8. IT'S A LONG ROAD

It's a long road
When you're on yor own
And it hurts when they tear
your dreams apart

And every new town
Just seems to bring you down
Trying to find peace of mind
Can break your heart

It's real war
Right outside your front door I tell ya
Out where they'll kill ya
you could use a friend

Where the road is
That's the place for me
Where I'm me in my own space
Where I'm free
that's the place I want to be

Cause the road is long yeah
Each step is only the beginning
No breaks just heartaches
Oh man is anybody winning

It's a long road
And it's hard as hell
Tell me what do you do to survive
When they draw first blood
That's just start of it
Day and night you gotta fight
To keep alive

Any of you boys want to shoot,
now is the time,
There isn't one of us
That doesn't want to be someplace else,
But this is what we do, that we are,
Live for nothing or die for something
Your call


9. WAYWARD VERITIES

For dark was the night
And full of banes
Dawns thrive in light
Spring reeks of change
Boil blood of reform
Throats finding voice
Red taste of freedom
Where once was no choice

Reign free

It is the new dawn
Truth to be the last
Call no man free
Until he falls for higher belief
More pure than virgin's grief

Harness the order
Truth overwhelmed
Rotten are the branches
On hollow tree of realm

Barkskin of unrest
We flay from this elm
On nothing he dances
Tyrant condemned

Reign free

Quiescent mind belying reason

Attire me on scarred licit mask
My throne of clay and funeral wax


10. UNTIL FALLS THE RAIN

Dry the orders, shelter the commands
Will drowns with flowing words
For those raised to arms
Warpaints on icons interred

Feed the flame
Until falls the rain
Feed the flame
Until falls the rain

Sun your to keep
Until falls the rain
Who of us first to yield
When falls the rain

Curse the beast and its heart
Shadow in soul thought tamed
Old is the fear in mortal's blood
Lion's share of unleashed flame

Bold is the rage against the unsealed cage
Bold is the hate
for shadows and decayed

I see them in the last of stands
What once was outrage cry
Wail of candor dying
on breathless horns
Seeking hands
to the waning sky
Throat of heavens torn
Bleeds out the scorn,
the pouring blame
But not the truth, only rain