Executing Empires (2013) – The Last Hangmen

1. Overture to a Falling Empire
[Instrumental]

2. The Abolition of Acquittal

wandering through storms of sorrow
every muscle burns as hell
escaping from my mysery
nothing left, only regrets

where did I chose the wrong path?
how did I get here?
all my beliefs were shattered
revealing all my fears

memories never let go
time fades them away
I keep on fighting
but all I do seems in vain

maybe I'm stuck on this road
filled with shitloads of pain
if I carry on
this will drive me insane

[Chorus:]
rain cuts through my bones
I'm struggling hard
for every single step I take
my universe is still collapsing
never able to repay my dept
who am I really serving?
I'm not the lord of my own mind
all those thoughts were planted in me
how could I've been so blind?

I have to fight so many demons
to get rid of all this shit
make this final cut
a nice and clean reset
questioning my ideology
guilt heavier than lead
revealing deeply buried truth
a curtain's falling in my head

[Chorus]

I have to fight so many demons
to get rid of all this shit
make this final cut
a nice and clean reset
a fresh new start from my ground zero
is what I'm heading for
abandoning my past
forever close this cursed door
close this cursed door!

3. The Holy Bond of Black Blood

[Chorus:]
nothing can seperate our ways
we stand together 'till the end of our days
united we'll overcome their false god
tied forever by the holy bond of black blood
the holy bond of black blood

their misbeliefs keep feeding our hate
no place to hide anymore
for their god it's too late
their prayers are lies
we will show you the light
their priests are wolves in disguise
there is no religous right

all laws are made by man
as a fucking matter of fact
and as servants of justice
this is what we protect

[Chorus]

they claim without god there is no good
but if they need his surveilance
and watching them all the time he should
then they are just beasts kept in chains

we will not beg we will not bow
to their false god
we will not beg cause we trust
in the holy bond of black blood
we will not beg we will not bow
'till the end of our days!

4. Defeat of Despair

like lightning it struck my mind
that dark voice from the past
blaming me for wasted years
chasing dreams that will not last

my timeglass is running out of sand
a black veil darkens the sky
fate was never in my hands
and all the shadows seemed to cry:

take me away from here!
light me a new path!
my last hope died so long ago,
please restore it now!

please restore it now! 2x

the sun and the stars had left my world
I was blinded by ignorance so cold
my ways never crossed happyness
my steps led nowhere in the end

I craved for salvation this night
at the horizon a light was shining bright
my eyes fell on it and I knew
that my time until now was thrown away

your light has guided me
back to myself I've found
dreams are never in vain 2x

so I finally rose from my knees
with a reborn soul
touched the luck for just one second
and escaped from the cold.

and escaped from the cold
and escaped from the cold
my last hope died so long ago
but you've restored it now!

5. ... or Forever Hold your Peace

they try to keep by force
what they cannot claim by right
struggling in despair
not willing to loose their might
but we stand right here
united as one fucking loud voice
we will not disappear
until they give us a choice
give us a fucking choice
or you will see your people rise

[Chorus:]
revolution is spreading like flames
stand on the barricades
they'd like us all to be tamed
but we never ever hold our peace

tanks, bombs and machine-guns
won't break our will
we'll never gonna stop
no matter how many they kill
the whole world knows we are right
regardless how long it would take
we will not give up the fight
for our freedom at stake

[Chorus]

no remorse! no retreat!
rip out the root of evil!
see you on the other side...
attack!!!

[Chorus x 2]

6. Downfall of Glory

[Chorus:]
I am here to protect what we achieved to
keep the spirit of change alive
I'll take any measure that's necessary
and I will bring any sacrifice

not long ago I've led them
on the barricades
to pursue the dream of freedom
now my people trust in me,
trust me to fullfil our shared vision
But in front of us
still unfolds a long way

yet there are those
who seek to bring down our ideals
who want to destroy our new built world
they hide in the shadows and lurk in the dark
waiting for a chance to get back in charge

[Chorus]

blood has stained my hands before
now we can't affort to hesitate
I will not rest 'till I've found them all
and brought them finally to justice

I get you all
cause I will not rest
foes behold
I am your death

there's no escape
I'm in control
There's no escape
I'm in control
break your resistance
and safe my rule

on a pile of dead comrades I stand
sinking deeper,
drowning in the blood I've shed

I'll die to protect what we achieved
can you keep the spirit of change alive?
I'll do anything that's necessary
I will be the last sacrifice! x2

7. Beyond the Crimson Nightsky

all the lights turn dark
while I'm walking through
those empty streets
black like my thoughts
bothered by my vicious deeds
all my victims
haunt me in those lonely nights
these were murder
and no equal fights

[Chorus:]
a veil of blood
tortures my mind for so long years
I'm lost alone in all their fears
x2 fears => screams

my look turns at the stars above me
and I hate them for their freedom
stuck here on earth
imprisoned in my memories
craving for salvation
for all who crossed my way
desiring recreation
reached my final day

[Chorus]

at the end of the road
I reached my destination
beyond the crimson night-sky I dive
finally I'm my own hangmen
found my peace in suicide

on my way down to mother earth
a smile comes over my face
freed of all the guilt
I close my eyes forever
knowing that it can't be worse
I leave this valley of pain
no regrets or doubts anymore
my soul can breathe again

[Chorus] => past perfect

8. Sleep Tight

HANGMEN:
I can hear him moaning in his cell
praying, cursing, casting spells
yet nothing can save his head
walking restless, waiting for his death
tomorrow comes his final day
I will lead him to his end
will I have my peace with this
at least I have to pretend!

memories cut roughly through my mind
old feelings versus my sense of duty
brothers in arms, now foes by law
you won't receive your revelation

the scaffold's lurking in the dark
waiting thirsty for fresh blood
stained with pain of countless enemies
and it still wants more
in the name of their twisted justice
so they claim itエs for peace and liberty
his body will turn cold
as friends had turned to foes

his screams cut roughly through the
darkness of the night
filling me with weird sadness
I wish that you sleep well my friend
your last sleep shall be tight
shall be tight!

PRISONER:
the walls around me are my witness
I am confessing any deed
starring through those iron bars
knowing where my path will lead

where my path will lead
where my path will lead

dusk falls slowly on the world
this night is dark and full of terrors
yet nothing now can save my head
the case is closed my soul is sold

and my screams cut roughly through the
darkness of the night
my mind is heading straight to madness
there is no escape I have to rest
my last sleep shall be tight
shall be tight!

the scaffold's lurking in the dark
waiting thirsty for fresh blood
stained with pain of countless enemies
and it still wants more
in the name of their twisted justice
so they claim its for peace and liberty
my body will turn cold
as friends had turned to foes

my screams cut roughly through the
darkness of the night
my mind is heading straight to madness
there is no escape I have to rest
my last sleep shall be tight
shall be tight!

the walls around me are my witness
no regrets for any deed
starring through those iron bars
knowing where my path will lead

The sun is rising
and my final day has come
I have to say, that I slept well
do not hesitate
behead me now my friend
see you in hell!

9. Rotten Seeds

there was an old and high grown tree
hung with fruits of glass and metal
and around it waiting for a piece
a crowd of mindless cattle
thousand miles and more they've wandered
to fetch one of those shiny fruits
forgot to eat! forgot to drink!
only thinking of their loot

walking on a path of ignorance
shattered hopes beneath their feet
following this hollow trail
chasing their desire for those rotten seeds

keep on selling him your mind
keep on kneeling to his rules 2x

[Chorus:]
stunned by the sparkling surface
they've forgotten who they are
the spell of their precious treasure
fills the dark void in their hearts

keep on selling him your mind
keep on kneeling to his rules 2x
yet their master is already dead
they still sacrifice unto his head
the trade facts for the bliss of faith
and reason for its mind-control
drenched in euphoria they ignore
that those fruits were made of blood
were made of crushed dreams and of tears
they keep worshippin' their god

they are happy to be blind
they are happy to be tools
they are happy to be blind
even happy to be tools!

suffocate!

still the tree keeps on growing
leading its rotten fellowship
straight at the edge of the abyss
on this psychopathic trip

[Chorus]

keep on selling him your mind
keep on selling him your soul
suffocate on rotten seeds 3x

10. The Legion of Sold Souls

[Chorus:]
a contract signed with foreign blood
yet no one of them knows
where or when it stains the ground
The legion of sold souls!

fighting for democracy
strictly following their orders
against made up enemies
far away from their own borders

despair drove them on this path
pushed out of society
"You're defending our freedom"
is their daily lullaby

the enemy hides everywhere
threats lurk behind every corner
paranoia is the best tool
to survive this manmade nightmare

[Chorus]

the slaughtering begins again
and what dies first is the truth
the machine keeps on running
killing hopeless youth

spreading fire over fields
bombing cities back to stone-age
duty called to all these deeds
the battlefield became a stage

they are just puppets
and death is pulling all the strings
what they can win is mental illness
or a pair of wings

freedoms reckless interceptors
buying wealth with foreign blood
live and die without control

[Chorus x 2]

11. Executing Takes Time

[Instrumental]

THE LAST HANGMEN page