Monday, October 1, 2012

1997 Merciless Destiny

"Merciless Destiny" was inspired by events in my youth & relationships in young adulthood. This is the first chapter of a loosely written "rock opera," though some songs from previous albums preclude it.

Holy Soldiers
An Arm for an Eye
Life for a Life
Beknighted at Noon
Heart, Faith, & Steel
Dark Mirror
Interlude
One Man, One Sword, One Destiny
Dragged into Hell
New Spring Dawning
Paragon
Trek of Doom
To Be Continued

"HOLY SOLDIERS"

HOLY SOLDIERS COME AND FIGHT
HOLY SOLDIERS COME
THOSE WITH COURAGE PAID THE PRICE
HOLY SOLDIERS DIED
MEN OF IRON GAVE THEIR LIVES
LONELY WIDOWS CRY

HOLY SOLDIERS, OFF TO WAR
KNIGHTS IN ARMOR CLOSE THE DOOR
FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY’LL FIND
SO THEIR LIVES ARE LEFT BEHIND

LONELY WOMEN, LEFT AT HOME
FIND THE COURAGE TO CARRY ON
HUNGRY CHILDREN CARRY THE STONE
AND ONE DAY FIND A SWORD TO CALL THEIR OWN

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS FIGHTING?
WHERE IS THE HOPE IN ALL THIS WAR?
WHAT DOES IT MATTER HOW MUCH GROUND YOU GAIN,
WHEN ALL YOU LOSE IS ALL YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR?

HOLY SOLDIERS, WHERE ARE YOUR DREAMS?
HAVE YOU FALLEN VICTIM TO A MADMAN’S SCHEMES?
KNIGHTS IN KEVLAR, KILLING MACHINES
WHEN THE VIRUS HITS THEY’LL NEVER HEAR YOUR SCREAMS

IN THE DARKEST DREAMS OF WONDER
IN THE BLACKEST NIGHT THEY COME
AND WHEN YOUR BONES ARE TORN ASUNDER,
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE DONE?

THEY’LL RAPE YOUR WOMEN, TAKE YOUR GOLD
TAX YOUR CHILDREN AND STEAL YOUR SOUL
AND WHEN THEIR HOLY WAR IS THROUGH
THEY’LL HUNT YOUR GODS AND KILL THEM, TOO!

HOLY SOLDIERS OFF TO WAR
MEN IN BLINDERS NEVER KNOW THE SCORE
LONELY PEOPLE BEAR THE PAIN
AND IN THE END WE ALL FEEL THE STRAIN

A HOLY PROPHET BEARS NO BLADE
A HOLY WARRIOR BEARS NO SHAME
AND WHEN IN PRIDE WE HIDE OUR HEARTS AWAY
A RUGGED CROSS BEARS THE STAIN

"An Arm for an eye"

Warriors & kings, wizards & rings
Armies of darkness & light
Flesh & steel in a stunning display
Blood & bone at the heart of the fray

Dragons in glorious flight
Demons that creep in the night

Through prophets & shamans, the truth was made known
By sword & scroll, and tablet of stone
Honor & exile, fire & ice
Destiny, heresy, moral or vice

Come to the end, my friend
Seek not redemption
Enter oblivion
Eternal Champion
(A new life shall begin)

Looking back on the things I have done
My father's words, unbidden, come
I see the lives that I have touched
And all I see is pain

It hits me like a hammer
The fist of shame
Quakes the earth in anger
Fist of shame

It creeps, it stalks
Yor fate will not be denied
It feeds, it grows
Run though you may, you can't hide
It sees, it knows
You'll give an arm for an eye

Shame...

"Beknighted at Noon"

Where has it gone
What we had when we were young
Emotions ran so strong
When we knew that we were one

Times have changed
And now our lives are rearranged
Standing side by side
Yet it seems you're so far away

Voices in my head
And a song in my heart
What was that you just said
Did you say we'd have to part

Where did all the good times go
When did our love cease to grow
Why must we pay such a heavy toll
To be free

There will come a day
When I'll see your face
We'll be together once again

There will come a time
On down the line
We'll be united once again

"Dark Mirror"

It's easy to hate those who exude
The traits you fear to embrace
Deep beneath your mask of lies
A metal heart resides

You deny your own desire
And only see my face
Your empty pride a testament
To your own disgrace

Look into the glass
Reflections that you see
Of darkness from your past
Steal tranquility

Look into my eyes
You can tell no lies
Search through ancient lore
I'm your dark mirror

I smell your envy, taste your fear
As you restrain your lust
I show no mercy, shed no tear
Grind your bones into the dust

All the things that you abhor
Are here within your dark mirror

All the things that you adore
Beckon from within your dark mirror

All the things that you succor
Are here behind your dark mirror

"One Man, One Sword, One Destiny"

I've always met the challenge of the sword
Always slain the dragon, axe in hand
I am as one, Knight and Lord
Defender of the land

The time has come to reign & deliver
Time has come to make a stand

I have the power, I have the force
As a thousand souls screaming, I have the voice

I have the speed, I have the strength
I have domination, but I have no choice

The hour is struck, the time is near
All of heaven & hell will hear
I've made my stand, played the role
Now my time has come

One Man, one sword, one destiny
One faith, one hope, one charity
One heart, one soul, one thing I see
One fate, one price, one end for me

I am a single note, I am a symphony
There is no beginning or end to that which is me

I sail upon eternal oceans
I ride the winds of destiny
Mourn not the passage of time
For the odyssey has only just begun

"New Spring Dawning"

How many more times must I live this life?
How many times must I die?
How many more times must I fight this fight?
How many tears must I cry?

My soul grows cold, my bones grow weary
My heart turns from ashes to dust
If you could see my eyes, you'd watch my passion die
As my blade turns from metal to rust

Here I come, up from the ashes
Up from the boiling pit
I come to destroy, I come to wreak havoc
And drag your world through the rift

See my eyes, they burn like fire
My seed is a burning flame
I come to bring law, to crush your desire
My word is the gauntlet of shame

Your gods are weak, your heroes few
Faith and Hope are forsaken
Your kings are sheep, ripe for the raping
No one will miss what I've taken

Up from the ashes / Born of fire
Champion Eternal / And the father of liars

Spiraling down through the womb of time
Memories have all been erased
All that remains is a loathing shame
And the fear, and the dark, I embrace

How many more times
Must I face this feast?
How many more lives
Must I feed the Beast?

"Paragon"

Down from the mountains and through the forest
The shining knight did ride
He had taken an oath to destroy the evil
No matter where it hides

So on he rode, on a steed of gold
Through the wood as black as night
To retrieve the crown from the evil ones
Unto extinction he would fight

He came from Avalon
His heart was pure and true
To God his heart was drawn
He battles just for you

Ascend from Babylon
And give him his just due
Now we must carry on
And bid him sweet adieu

Knowledge is power, power is strength
Strength is the power to think
Kill the enemy, slay your foe
The mighty shall fall, and your strength will grow

You have been beaten, your time has come
Your gods defeated by Hell's dark son
I come from light, you feel my might
The evil grows within my soul

I'll not submit, cannot descend
Into the pit of mortal sin
My life is honor, my love is pain
If I can't have her, I'll go insane

It's a twist of Cain
That keeps my heart in chains
For the love of God
My passion must be restrained

I will fight the evil forces and defend the good
Protecting all the weak and weary, as I know I should
I will ride across the land and battle hoards renowned
In the end I'll grasp within my gory fist the crown

"Trek of Doom"

Warrior spirit, must you die to live again?
Windows to the soul never lie
Warrior spirit, please don't die

Once upon a midnight dreary
My soul consumed by fire
The wind did howl, the waters raged
The earth did quake my vision bleary

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
If I can't have love, I won't settle for lust

Unscathed has been this heart of steel
But she ripped away, in a single day
The gates that bar my soul
And now this heart must feel

Darkness is the rainbow, shrouded is the light
Upon a steed of shadow rides the blackest night
Up from Hell, through War and Rage
Countless battles he must wage

His life is forfeit, his soul may be lost
To drown within her darkened gaze
He doesn't count the cost

Warrior spirit, knight of black
For you there is no turning back
Slip into those pools of shade
Eyes that cannot lie
To live within her dark embrace
Warrior spirit, you must die!

Windows to the soul never lie
Warrior spirit, you must die

Slip into those pools of shade
Wrap yourself within her dark embrace

Never shall your enemy you face
Sleep between the leather and the lace

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