Iced Earth

You're in for surprise
You're in for a shock
In London town streets
When there's darkness and fog
When you least expect me
And you turn your back
I'll attack

I smile when I'm sneaking
Through shadows by the wall
I laugh when I'm creeping
But you won't hear me at all

All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper

You'll soon shake with fear
Never knowing if I'm near
I'm sly and I'm shameless
Nocturnal and nameless
Except for "The Ripper"
Or if you like "Jack The Knife"


Any back alley street
Is where we'll probably meet
Underneath a gas lamp
Where the air's cold and damp
I'm a nasty surprise
I'm a devil in disguise
I'm a footstep at night
I'm a scream of the fright

All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper...the ripper....the ripper

A desperate situation
Forced to retaliation
The task ahead a burden
Men will suffer, that's for certain
We'll charge into the fire
The cause, we must inspire
We raise our fists to tyranny
A high price, freedom is not free

The odds are stacked against us
But with our resolve relentless
And arrogance their weakness
Our cause is just, we won't be beaten
Upon this declaration
Will come a brand new nation
Where men are seen as equal
Governed by and for the people

Chorus:
So we make our stand and pray
On this declaration day
For independence I will fight
With liberty I will defy
So we make our stand and pray
On this declaration day
Give me liberty or give me death
I'll fight 'till my last breath

With virtue as our beacon
Our cause is charged as treason
Battle worn and starving
Through the hell of war we'll keep marching
The birth of our new nation
An act of desperation
We'll force King George down to his knees
Capitulation

Chorus

Another day just like any other
Out of the blue it turned to horror
How could they?
Why would they?
The innocent suffered hell's inferno
A senseless act that goes unforgotten
How could they?
They will pay

When the eagle cries
Blood will flow
When the eagle cries
For freedom's fight
When the eagle cries
We love her so
When the eagle cries
We will sacrifice

Out of the ashes came a tempting vengeance
But we are focused, we seek redemption
We are free
We'll stay free
All they've done is make us stronger
The sleeping giant is asleep no longer
If need be
We'll die free

When the eagle cries
Blood will flow
When the eagle cries
For freedom's fight
When the eagle cries
We love her so
When the eagle cries
We will sacrifice

Destiny's called us
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me
Revenge is not justice
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me

You went too far this time
For this heinous crime
You will know defeat
Begging on your knees

One by one you'll fall
Your back's against the wall
Nowhere to turn
You're sure to burn

Destiny's called us
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me

The hour's close at hand
We'll make our final stand
Justice shall be done
Nowhere to run

True evil broods in you
You're just a brainwashed fool
The coward kills then hides
Spewing forth his lies

Revenge is not justice
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me

Born of destruction, bred in agony
Is this my salvation?
From these ashes, I am your devastation

If it was up to me
Eye for an eye I'd seek
But the high road we will take
Lady Justice is a stake

The judgment has been made
In blood it shall be paid
Death knows what to do
The horseman comes from you

Destiny's called us
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me
Revenge is not justice
It's the reckoning
This time it's for blood
Don't tread on me

He's ruled them for 20 years
And ravaged as their king
Conquest burns in his eyes
And ice shoots through his veins
Their leader's new ambitions lie
Farther to the west
The empire that he seeks
The father to the rest
Attila wants to take his place
Like the impetuous son
To make the entire world bow
To the kingdom of the Huns

Alliance has been made
With many other clans
Frank and Vandal forces
Held within his hand
And by Attila's hand it's said
His brother met with death
To make his rule his legacy
He did his awful best
Ethel and Etzel
By many names he's known
But "Scourge Of God" is the one
That rings the darkest tone

Chorus:
Hell awaits behind Gaul's Gates
The Roman's stand only to fall
They will die by his sword
The Barbarian Lord
Attila hears victory call

Bridge:
(Huns)
Path of fire and plunder
Cities burn and crumble
Attila's fate beckons
He will come to conquer

(Romans)
Archers stand at ready
Centurions all together
Keep to your lines
And the Mongol's sure to falter

(Huns)
We will surely break them
We will overtake them
Fight 'till our deaths
Or the Christians devastation

(Romans)
They won't overthrow us
God will stand before us
Show us the path to the Huns destruction

Sing to the sky, the battle cries
To propagate their fear
As terror is the weapon drawn
When battle has drawn near
And so the conflict is at hand
The gauntlet has been thrown
Contempt for the Christian reign
This poison seed now sewn
And if by chance all is lost
Cut down by Roman steel
We'll suffer not as others have
Broken mind nor broken will

Chorus

The son of a major, Prussian nobleman
His name bestowed by a holy Roman
The war broke out, and looked to the air
24 hours of training he was there

100 miles an hour
Top speed his plane would fly
And if he flew behind you
You know you're sure to die
80 kills and all confirmed
While other pilots had so much
More to learn

Chorus:
Red baron, blue max
The albatross flies high
Red baron, blue max
He's got you in his sights

Bridge:
The red battle flyer, red like fire
He sees no faces, the ace of aces

His British quarry flew a reckless flight
A shot from the ground took the red baron's life
He flew with honor, he flew with pride
In 1918 the battle flyer died

Chorus

Emptiness, consuming me
Head in hands, I can hardly speak
Looking for solitude
Lost in humanity
True knowledge leads to a suffering
A constant quest, an endless dream
Searching for inner peace
Hidden so deep in me

Chorus:
Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man
Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man

Sadness comes knocking constantly
Filling up my eyes for all to see
Peace will come some day
I pray that it finds a way
Darkness caressing my mind and soul
My spirit's rejecting, I'm feeling whole
Emptiness goes away
Fills with the light of day

Chorus

Bridge:
I rise up like the Phoenix
Form the ashes of an older way
With wisdom gained, I turn away
I turn away
Hollow man find yourself some other prey

Chorus

Usher in the rally cries
Revolution's here again
The emperor's bonds are broken
As free he shall remain

Escape, through narrow, was demand
While his reign remained in view
This fight for France, 'till bitter end
He must see it through

Coalition forms of many lands
Against Napoleon, west to east
Dogs of war will take to arms
And soon will be unleashed

Prussian, Russian and Austrian
All follow British lead
At allies' helm is Wellington
Who must make his foe concede?

Chorus:
Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...And you will see your hundred days
Come to an end
Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

Quickly, the allies gather force
Near the Franco-Belgian line
While 124,000 French
March there in double time

As the battle begins
Napoleon springs his audacious plan
He'll attack them in two fronts
Splitting up his warring band

As the Prussians sound retreat
Behind they leave 12,000 slain
Most of their force is still in tact
And will live to fight again

Wellington, who felt the loss
Of 5,000 men
Would feel more under cannon fire
Bombardment from the French

Chorus

Bridge:
Of all the wars I have waged
To propel my nations might
For this I'll be remembered
From now 'till the end of time
If to the victor go the spoils
I may die an impoverished man
For in the end, irony
Has dealt the cruelest hand

The French force was swift and sure
But their attack would be repelled
And though their center battered
The Anglo-Dutch line would be held

As fate or skill would have it
An army moves from the east
The Prussians who slipped through his hands
Would soon spell his defeat

French lines now all broken
And being open to attack
The emperor has no choice
And the old guard pulls him back

45,000 wounded or dead
When the fight was finally through
On a three mile square of battlefield
Near a town named Waterloo

Chorus

Close your eyes and imagine
The soldier, at Valley Forge
The suffering that he endured was real
Starvation, total war
Yet in his eyes, the iron will to win
And for the cause he won't relent

Chorus:
Would he look upon us now in anger and disgust?
His providence, our birthright and our creed
Will we let ignorance and laziness bring our demise?
Complacency, we're blinded by our greed

Standing barefoot, frozen bloody hands
His musket clutched in iron grip
But for the cause he has but one regret
He's only got one life to give

Chorus

It's time for us to open up our eyes
And cherish the lives we all can have
And to the ones who kept our freedom free
Words can't express all that you've done

Chorus

Walking in the subway
alone late at night
New York city gangs
everywhere in sight

You feel their anger upon you
you feel their hateful eyes
walk a little faster now
you're fighting for your life

As they walk on closer
their eyes burn down your back
you feel a thousand cries
not prepared for their attack

A mission bell sent sign
a sign that you board soon
you've come this far, no turning back
we hope you make it too

Don't expect, sympathy
we don't know, the word
you walked my turf, insanity
but in this place you die

Your life is wasted
your blood is tasted
as it drips down the blade

You didn't make it
you couldn't take it
you walked the subway you paid

Your money's gone
your clothes they're torn
you're lying in a pool of blood

You know you're leaving
we watch you grieving
but in this place you die

Don't expect sympathy
we don't know the word
you walked my turf, insanity
but in this place you die

"Angels Holocaust"

As I walk through the blackened forest
Thoughts of hate and anger fill my soul
The charred remains of the holy rollers
Scream repentance though it's far too late

I fight back the laughter at what I see
The suffering healers false destined prophecy

He didn't think yesterday of the end of his life
The brainwashed fools born again of a thousand lies

Hate filled screams break the silence
Terrifying dreams filling up your head
Blasphemy thrusting out, in the masses it reigns
The mask of hypocrisy is slowly unveiled

Fear the angels holocaust, they're screaming
Dreams of pain forever entering your head
Death and hatred loathing, on mankind it feeds
Earth is dead and gone now, we've brought it to an end

For the last time I've been betrayed
Never again will I subject myself to this hypocrisy
Something is drawing me to the other side
Only time will tell my true destiny

As I travel through the astral plain
I see the break of day
As though the sky has burst in flames
Before the storm I dread
Lightning breaks across the sky
Blackish-blue at night
Riders ride on dismal clouds
I scream at heaven's light

As I travel through the astral plains
I see the break ahead
as though the sky has burst in flames
before the storm I dread
lightning breaks across the sky
blackish blue at night
riders ride on dismal clouds
I scream at heavens light

Storming demons travel through the night
the time is almost here
I lay in a jacket of steel
my scream no one hears

I can feel the storm approaching
the pain is its' reality
the death I breathe is in the air
I feel no more, no longer care

The trumpets sound as I break free
this vision I see just can't be me
what is this that I have done
why am I the chosen one

Fight on, grab on
stormrider
stormrider

Now the rider rides through the night
the time is almost here
as I lay wrapped in steel
my scream no one hears

Help me, through this hell inside
my life's my own, it's my pride
carry on my solid dream
save me from this horrid scream

Fight on, grab on
stormrider
stormrider

I feel, you'll see, the night cold and dead
But watch out, we walk proud
Together now until the end
In these times we walk that line
These frozen times
Winter nights

Bridge:
Look up to the sky, see the moonlit night
The winter night sends shivers up your spine
But it's deep inside your mind that's where you may find
Inner demons and your desire
Don't give up, don't give up
Don't give up, don't you ever give up

If you find you've crossed that line
Then it's time, a state of mind
Believe in what you see
Our sacrifice, reality
In these times you walk that line
these frozen times
Winter nights

The feeling that you get when we creep inside
You won't see us there, you won't feel our stare
But when we're next to you we do all we can do
To get the cold sweat out, watch you squirm about
And as you try to move we grab and strangle you
With all of your deceit and our reality

Night
Nightmares
In the night

Hell is coming down, your fate has turned around
Too scared to make a sound
Now you're frozen there in your human shell
It's a nightmare I am the god of fear

Night
Nightmares
In the night

Once again we have laid another loved one to rest
And as we fight the grief in our hearts
We must realize that the fate of death is inevitable
Thus in turn we find that through our trials and tribulations
Death may be the only real peace of mind