In a place known as hell, Satan sits and laughs
looking how you lived your life cuz you thought it was cool
in the end it’s not that way as he's burning your soul
eternal pain and agony is his only goal 

Image is all that's real to you, actions that break me in two
Senseless deeds, the golden rule, conformity to be cool
Push them all into the ground, your favorite form of living
You'll find that in a real world, those ways are less forgiving

Comments:

We decided to re-do this song from the first demo due to our improved abilities.  This song is basically my warning to people to have them realize that doing things just to be popular and cool isn't the reason to do things because it can have consequences that they may not realize.

Lyrics:

So it begins, our dreams up in flames once again, another round is coming.
We don’t know, what our leaders have sown, war machines humming.
Feel the pain; radiation fills your living brain, recall the warnings
From the past, your last will is fading fast, your final mourning. 

Earth of fire keeps burning
Our souls still yearning
For the madness to end
Push of a button brings the end. 

Victimized, sold the bombs taking our lives, warheads smuggled.
Turn our backs, twisted truths becoming fact, politicians struggle
To explain, our world engulfed in flame, indecision
Seals our fate, we can’t hide, we can’t escape death’s precision. 

Earth of fire still burning
Lessons taught, but no one’s learning
Leaders gamble with our lives
Selling their souls for a price

<solos> 

Nuclear weapons still firing
Sickened by deafening sirens
Our world, a wasteland, burns
Another lesson we have learned. 

Still we try, to find hope in the burning skies, eradication
Of all life, reality’s double edged knife, infatuation
Of death, struggle to draw your next breath, terror breeding
Rebellion, fight the war that can’t be won, can’t stop the bleeding… 

Earth of fire still turning
Deep inside our souls we’re burning
Hate breeds contempt for the state
For a vote, sealed our fate…

Comments:

In 2000 I heard on the news and read in the paper about Russia selling its old nuclear equipment to basically anyone who had the money to buy it.  Obviously that's not quite a good idea because some groups out there just want to kill everyone... so that's basically what this song is about.  The events of 9-11 made me determined to complete this song and get it out.

The same song from the old demo, just revitalized and re-recorded.

This song was also pulled from the last demo as a keeper.

The government knows how to keep you safe
Your life is in the hands of the state
They say it’s for the common good
For real it’s for their own control
Driving with the traffic flow
Pull you over, you need to go slow 

Bureaucratic bullshit
Reality means nothing
Papers and red tape
Common sense has no place
Bureaucratic bullshit
Don't matter what's your view 

Cross the street, get a ticket
To keep you safe from yourself
Your house has a socket out of place
Can't move in, we'll have no disgrace
The local crack house, we'll let it go
Your crack in the paint, no way, no go 

No one gets hurt, no one will die
But we must make it right for the stupid guy
Papers piled high, nothing gets done
Slow us down, who really has won?

Bureaucratic bullshit
Hurts the common man
Papers and red tape
Criminals win the hand
Bureaucratic Bullshit
Takes control of you 

The light's red, there's no one there
but if you go, the cops will care
Someone gets hurt, safety for all
no matter how stupid is the new law
taxation to pay for it all
it’s always just more frustration

Bureaucratic bullshit
Makes us all dumb
Papers and red tape
take away our freedom
Bureaucratic bullshit
it's ok, just obey the law

Comments:

Bureaucratics are slowing things down all around us.  Any time an honest person tried to accomplish something there are extra fees, paper work, inspections, legalities, and un-necessary road blocks put in your way.  These can be the simplest day to day things all the way to things dealing with your home, car, or governmental stuff.  Is it really making things so much better or is it because someone knows someone and is trying to help them get a kickback?

This song was originally written as an inspired track in late 2001.  After its original recording (with a different drummer) I had played it for Ryan and at that point he decided to rejoin the band.  We made a slight modification and voila!  You now have this song.

Day to day anger release
Frustration with society
Tensions now, feel them leaving
Welcome to Thrasher’s Anonymous

Comments:

A short song stating the basics of metal.  A form of music that most of us use to pump us up and to get the frustrations of day to day living out.

Warm sun shines in the cloudless sky, awaken with a smile
So long you’ve waited for this day, and now it’s finally here 

Enjoying the ride to school. Can’t hardly believe it’s true.
As the bus makes another bend you wonder what’s at journey’s end. 

Excitement, meeting new friends, enjoying the fun and games
So glad now to be in school, what will be learned today? 

In your life you feel no pain. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
But you feel something is wrong as most kids stay away. 

And so now the years go by, emotions different now
Your friends lost among the trend, a darker day ensues 

Inside and out you struggle to understand why it must be you.
Alone in anger and pain; solitude drives you insane.

You can see your life contorting, from happiness to pain
The anger grows day by day, consuming you, the cycle continues
Abuse you take, no one cares, the fun they take from your expense
Schools don't listen, your fault they say; popular ones can do no wrong
Who you are they don’t understand and for it they give you no hand
They don’t know what they do to you; permanent damage

There's no way to escape, no where to go
Words turn to violence, mental to physical
Your soul screams of pain and anger, torment that you endure
Fear and terror inside you grow, no where for it to flow
No way to deal with the plague, no way to live 

There lies the answer to your pain; self protection
A deadly new toy shall bring inner peace; no more misery 

Load the gun, catch the bus, go off to school.
Now you’re ready with your new tool.
No more, you’ll bow to their will; no more pain 

A wicked smile fixed on your face, peace at last
For once you feel no self-disgrace; you are someone 

Calmness as you arrive to school.
Awaiting your chance to be cool.
Peace shall prevail, no one will mess with you. 

Walk the halls in anger, the jokes begin
They won’t leave you alone; not again
Violence leads to violence, a darker vein
Silence broken, the deafening blast, much less torment to feel at last
Years of torture come out; for many others you’ll be without
Reality’s cold grip scalds your soul, for once now you have the control

Searching for victims who will take your pain
Retribution for their ways
Insanity explodes, madness surrounding all
Shrieks of terror echo in the halls
Pain screaming from those blood-stained walls 

QUARTERBACK:
Mr. Popular, the star quarterback
Not so popular with those holes in your back. 

CHEERLEADER:
Sexy Suzy, head cheerleader
Pretty, little bullet-eater 

KID WHO MADE FUN OF HIM:
Funny how you used to laugh
No time to write your epitaph 

TEACHER:
All these years you did nothing
Maybe now you’ll think of something 

GIRL THAT MESSED WITH HIS HEAD:
Mess my head with all your lies
Take pleasure in your dying cries 

HIMSELF:
What have I done? Can’t erase the stain.
I must end this… NO MORE PAIN!!!

Comments:

School shootings?  Well, here's our answer to some of the cases.  There is more than always meets the eye in these things.  Most of the people who have been in the band have had some sort of experience with being condemned by their peers for who they are.  Unless you've been there you can't truly understand how it feels to be in the situation.  In writing this song we are not justifying using guns in school, but only explaining why it happens... how the person feels who does that.