BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN LYRICS

1. The Architect

Like a father to a son, all that’s mine is always Yours. The stars of heaven mourn for what’s to come. I hear a lover’s song inviting me away. I know the first heart that breaks isn’t mine but Yours. I know now all things they must pass. I know now all things they must pass, oh the cost. How can I ask to know what forgiveness is while my hands are still tied with guilt and the filth of mistrust? My hands have built the cross, oh the cost. My hands have built the cross, oh the cost... How can I ever look into Your eyes when my hands will nail You down? How can I ever look into Your eyes... How can I ask to know what forgiveness is... How can I ask to know what forgiveness is when it’s my hands that built the cross?...that built the cross? How can I... How can I account for this? How can I... How can I just walk away? How can I... How can I... There’s a flame that still lights the gate... lights the gate.

2. The Dustwalker

Oh what have I done? What have we done? This is the way knowledge courses through my veins. What a price to pay to know death is coming for both you and I. We stand naked in the valley of truth. The bone pulled from my chest still beats with your lungs... but your lips still taste warm from that serpent’s subtle kiss...subtle kiss...subtle kiss. Can you hear the sound of Grace? Can you hear the sound of Grace? Can you hear the sound of Grace? Can you hear the sound of Grace? All I hear is emptiness. All I hear is emptiness. All I hear is emptiness. All I hear... I am the first of many... I am the first of many... but I will hold to the promise. I will hold to the promise. Grace, walk with me again... walk with me again. I am so afraid to die.

3. The Deceiver

I’ve been misled into the grave. Loneliness is the shadow of a word I used to know. Weak and broken they march on. They bring chaos. They bring war. I know... I’ve been misled. I’ve been misled. I’ve been misled. I’ve been misled. Regret sleeps in my bed. Regret sleeps in my bed. The weak and broken they march on. Towers rise into the sky. All our words confused, no one knows how to love. They bring war. They bring chaos. I know I’ve been misled. I beg for change. Thorns cradle my own two feet. I beg for change. Thorns cradle my own two feet. Loneliness... loneliness... whispers: Embrace me. The weak and broken they march on. They bring war. Embrace me. They bring chaos. I know I’ve been misled.

4. The Adversary

Ancient serpent. Betrayer. War machine. Empires and kingdoms rise in your name. Towers are still being built. The dead lead the blind. A plague upon our house. Twin cities burn, pillars of salt are lost to the dust of time. Will you profit the world? Will you profit the world? Will you profit the world? Will you profit? No. Prophet, this world means nothing. Prophet, this world means nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing... Oh what a shame that we must learn of life from death. What a shame that we must learn of life from death. Take this world to the brink of war. KINGDOM. EMPIRE. REICH. Hell is coming. Better to die for truth than live for nothing. Better to die for truth than live for nothing.

5. The Belladonnamyth

War... wages outside these walls, but your eyes are like the sea. Two oceans that pull and draw me in. Our hands in one another’s, this moment in time will pass too soon. History will devour the love between us both. History will devour the love between us both. Consequence will take me from you. “Forgive me” will be written on the walls of a room I will paint with the brush of regret and bind in a book I will seal with a kiss the night this century comes to... comes to an end. Oh my fabled Eve, it’s not you but I who still burns from the serpent’s tongue. Take this knife, split my heart in two. I’ll keep half of you, you’ll always be the better half of me...you’ll always be the better half of me. With your hand in mine I thought we’d last forever. I hope you understand. I have to hope we never meet again...never meet again. War wages outside these walls, it too shall pass. With your hand in mine and mine in yours, I’d hold these gates forever, but the new millennium will see Ahab’s great white whale...traded for a...for a...for a...unicorned...unicorned...unicorned horse.... I will understand...I will understand...I will understand...I will understand your distance...your silence...your distance...your silence...you...

6. Der Weibliche Führer

I am Oedipus at the brink of decision. To escape my demons we will meet face to face...to face...to face... face to face...to face...to face. Face to face you stand with eyes like the winter and a reptile heart. With the fury of a lion and the face of an angel, you bear the riddle: “How far will a man go to dance with the machine?” (with the machine) “How far will a man go to dance with the machine?” (with the machine) The answer... is poison when the question... is lust. The answer... Poetry’s a lipstick that does not complement your skin and those wings don’t mean you know a thing about Heaven. I know our lips fit but that doesn’t mean that they belong. I’ve sold this body to pale skin and poor taste one too many times. They say the end comes in fire, but from what I’ve tasted... Your voice is a ghost that haunts every inch of this town. ...tasted of your desire, yours will burn in ice. You pave the road to unrequited dreams and I’m the hypocrite who follows. I’m the fool who stumbles. Grace give me strength. Grace give me strength. Grace give me strength. God be my strength. God be my strength. God be my strength. God be my strength. I must resist...resist. I must resist...resist. I must resist...I must resist. I must resist...I must resist. I must resist. I must resist.

7. Der Männliche Führer

I bring this message from above. Heaven watches and it waits and it knows your mouth holds a mirror that only reflects what you suggest. Liar. Deceiver of worlds. I bring this message signed in blood. Make it mine. Your touch is a plague. Your touch is a plague. Your touch is a plague. Your touch is a plague... Every knee shall bow in this life or the next. Every knee shall bow in this life or the next. I’ve sold this body to [...] in poor taste to lungs driven by the power of your deceit. A gift you gave to me like the silhouette of a betrayer’s kiss. I bring this message. Take my life if it brings Heaven home...if it brings Heaven home. A gift you gave to me like the silhouette of a betrayer’s kiss. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue will confess. In this life or the next... I know you’re there. I know you’re there. I know you’re there. I know... Oh... Liar. Liar. Liar.

8. The Warrior

Oh SIN atra! We only live once, but if you reap the second death, once is enough. Oh! Shake! Speare! The valiant taste of death but once, cowards die many times before the day. Angels sing to me a graceful song that I might taste of this with a smile. As far as I see, all I see are Pharisees. As far as I see from the tyrant to the beggar. When Heaven comes to fill the sands of time like the hour glass, all that’s left is emptiness. This is our chance. This is our time. This is our fight. This is the fifteen minutes we have to leave a legacy behind. THIS IS OUR CHANCE. THIS IS OUR TIME. THIS IS OUR FIGHT. THIS IS THE FIFTEEN MINUTES we have... You’re skin and bones but so much more. You’re skin and bones but so much more...but so much more... Say something worthwhile...something worthwhile.

9. The Prophet

Oh dear God, there’s vultures everywhere threatening to tear my heart apart. Withdraw Yourself from me not even for a moment. Oh how I fear all might be lost. I’ve been down this road before, I’ve been so lost... I will not be afraid, I was born for this. I will not be afraid, I was born for You.... Oh there are vultures threatening to tear my heart apart...apart. Surrounded by a million faces, all they know is fear. All they know is doubt. All they fear is death. Death is not the worst that can happen to a man. Oh how there’s prophets, priests, teachers who preach You with their lips... But Father, let us not turn our eye from the plow, no matter the cost. This world means nothing without Christ at the crown. I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing... I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing... I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing... I can sing of Your love forever. I can sing of Your love forever. Let me sing of Your love forever. Let me sing of Your love.... Oh how I’d hate to think about everything I’d be without Grace upon the cross...Grace upon the cross. Oh how I’d hate to think about everything I’d be without Grace upon the cross...Grace upon the cross...Grace upon the cross.

10. The Revealer

[feat. guest vocals by Dallas Taylor of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster]

We’ve seen this before, through the eyes of the prophet. This is how the end begins. The holy city ignites with a great noise. There’s a fire above the sea with a flame that calls out to you and to me. The multitudes make their way, their sins are bricks in their hands, one more piece to add to the great wall of despair. Oh, we have seen this before, through the eyes of the prophet. Oh, we have seen this before, through the eyes of the prophet. This is how the end begins. (This is how the end begins.) This is how the end begins. (This is how the end begins.) The holy city ignites with a great noise. Heaven comes like a song that shakes the sun and the moon...it shakes the sun and the moon. And the judgment comes like the sea, with eyes lit with a flame that gives birth to the ocean...of time...the ocean of time...the ocean of time. I once was afraid to die, but I heard a voice call out: "Behold I AM the One who was dead... Behold I AM the One who was dead... Behold I AM the One who was dead... and is alive...is alive evermore." The holy city ignites with a great noise. Heaven comes like a song that shakes the sun and the moon. And this is how the end begins. The holy city ignites with a great noise... The dead seek death... ...with a great... ...but death flees from them. ...noise. I once was afraid to die. I was once afraid to die. I once was afraid to die. I was once afraid to die. I once was afraid to die. I was once afraid to die. I once was afraid to die. I was once afraid to die. "I AM the One who was dead...is alive. I AM the One who was dead...is alive. I AM the One who was dead...is alive. I AM the One who was dead...is alive." Oh... "I AM He. I AM He. I AM He. Elohim. Elohim. Elohim. Elohim."

11. The Deliverer

We stand on the brink of the end. A familiar song coming from the horizon, the clouds part like the sea. This is the spark of eternity...eternity. I was born a slave. I’ve thirsted for You my whole life. You’ve changed not Thy ways. Changed not Thy cross. You’ve kept it firmly upon my shoulders that You might hear me...that You might hear me. I will hold this to the grave...to the grave...hold this to the grave...to the grave. Remove not Thy song that I might grow cold and turn from Thee. But hold me close, Oh Lord. A hundred thousand lifetimes have come and gone, and a hundred thousand lives would be given to stand where I stand. And the clouds of Heaven open and I hear... "How great is our God!" ...one familiar song... "How great is our God!" ...and I hear one familiar song. "How great is our God!" Hold me close, oh Lord. Leave me not... "How great is our God!" ...this last hour... "How great is our God!" ...this last hour. "How great is our God!" "How great is our God! How great is our God! How great is our God!".... Sing with me...





BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN LYRICS