Arena [Progressive Rock]

Dead calm
Raining all over me
Too late
Sense of mortality
Dark skies
Threaten to swallow me
Down to the flame
While my flesh and my bone melt away
I defy you to stand on the crack in the ice
With the power of your hand
On the crack in the ice

Men
Raped and discarded
Are left dead
The vultures will feed on them
Lost cause
Tearing this life apart
Thrown to the flame
While my flesh and my bone melt away

I defy you to stand on the crack in the ice
With the power of your hand
On the crack in the ice

Take this moment so close to my heart
You held the white rose out
Just before we parted
Take this moment so far away in dreams
I can feel the thorns bite
But the flower died, it seems

Hold this feeling so close to my heart
You brought the passion out
Just before we parted
Hold this feeling so far away in dreams
I can feel the thorns bite
But the flower starts to bleed

I defy you to stand on the crack in the ice
With the power of your hand
On the crack in the ice

Lying here
Can't even feel the cold
Just a tingle in my spine
A bitter line of hope
Lying here
Can't even see the sky
Just a tingle in my fingers
A shiver in my soul

Don't walk towards the light
Still got those pins and needles
Turn back, embrace the night
Am I ready to be judged like this?

Lying here
Can't even turn my head
Just a tingle in my feet
A shimmering before my eyes

Lying here
Can't even touch my face
Just a tingle in my throat
A living moment, isolated

Don't walk towards the light
Still got those pins and needles
Turn back, embrace the night
I'm not ready to be taken yet

Don't walk towards the light
Still got those pins and needles
Turn back and hold the night
I'm not ready to be taken yet

This is not my time
I'm not ready yet
I'm not ready........after all

I've seen that face before
Demon eyes watch what an Angel once saw
I've seen that face before
Lying in shadows but hard to ignore
No where to run
No where to hide

I've seen this place before
A wilderness born from the torment of souls
(Yes!) I've seen this place before
A memory lost as the story unfolds

No where to run
No where to hide
No where to run
No where to hide

...."I will always find you!"

We played this game before
Counting no cost but keeping the score
(Yes!) We played this game before
Eyes to the front and backs to the wall

I've stood right here before

Walk along the waterfall
Watching as the world turns red
Wonder where the river flows
And the blood on the river bed
Poison lies too close to us
Reach across the salt and sand
Moving deeper into the land
Following the waterfall
Watching as the world turns green
Wonder where the river flows
The copper face remains unseen
Ignorance has failed to cleanse
Reach across the salt and sand
Moving deeper into the land

Crying as the earth cries out
Weeping as the land decays
Wonder if I could have helped
Maybe I'd have found a way
Poison lies too close to us
Reach across the salt and sand
Moving deeper into the land

Cling to the branch of a tree
That was waiting for
Something to preach
Someone to teach
The Word was the first
And the last to be heard
From the branch of the tree
It was praying for me to fall down

Climb to the top of a tree
That was waiting for
Someone to warn
A life to be torn into
Pieces of gold
For a soul to be sold
And the heart of the tree
Was crying for me to come back

Take me to the hanging tree
There's a man in the light
And he's pointing at me
Guide me to the hanging tree
It's the place that I come from
Walk along the waterline
Reach across the salt and the sand
Moving deeper into the land

Take me to the hanging tree
There's a boy in the light
And he's staring at me
Take me to the hanging tree
It's the place that I come from
Walk along the waterline
Reach across the salt and the sand
Moving deeper into the land
I'm falling.....Falling down again!

Thinly veiled, a cruel disguise
Vengeance lies behind these eyes
Glaring from the pulpit
As the Fallen Angels follow me
Plageristic sermons
Hiding voyeuristic undertones
Foolishly they will embrace
And ignorant they follow me
You've never truly known
The kind of place that I come from
You turned your back on all the signs
That bore the words of warning

Come to me my simple child
Tear apart your innocence
Pray with me beloved son
And I will help you find a way
Think before you throw yourself
Upon the tables and the merchant s
Are you sure this temple
Isn't just another cruel perversion?

You've never truly known
The kind of place that I come from
You turned your back on all the signs
That bore the words of warning

Don't look for comfort in this house of mine
Don't ask for mercy at my image or my shrine
Don't seek forgiveness at this house of mine
Don't build a temple here
And wait for me to walk into the fire

I will make this promise now
A simple thing, a sacred vow
Come with me my pretty Angel
I will show you how to fly
We will fall together
Into unforgiving night we plunge!
Chained by sin and clothed by guilt
We will be as one forever

Don't look for comfort in this house of mine
Don't ask for mercy at my image or my shrine
Don't look for comfort in this house of mine
Don't break the Holy bread or drink the Holy wine
Don't seek forgiveness at this house of mine
Don't build a temple here
And wait for me to walk into the fire

Why should all the wise survive
When nothing is what it may seem?
Why do all the living die
When only the dying remain?
Helpless are the broken wishes
Dashed upon the window pane
So close! But I'm one step ahead
My shadow is all you will touch
Too late! You waited too long
I stole the freedom
You needed so much

Do you hide away from me?
There's nothing here you should ignore
Do you close your eyes on me?
You've made that mistake once before
Helpless are the shattered wishes
Dashed upon the window pane

So close! But I'm one step ahead
My shadow is all you will touch
Too late! You waited too long
I stole the freedom
You needed so much

Search far, search wide
Lying down is not a matter of pride
Look hard, look deep
Never try to take this line of retreat
Don't let the bastards grind you down

So close! But I'm one step ahead
My shadow is all you will touch
Too late! You waited too long
I stole the freedom you needed so much
So close! But I'm one step ahead
My shadow is all you will touch
Too late! You waited too long
I stole the freedom
I know that you needed so much

This is a clown's tale
Falling over
Again and again
He paints his face
With colours from the sun
But he is living in the rain
This is a clown's tale
Jumping up
Spinning round and around
He kicks his heels
To the laughter of the crowd
But from inside there is no sound

Why do we all fail to see
The darkness in another's heart
Why do we all turn our backs
On open wounds
And failed attractions
Painted on the canvas there
Written in the books we share

This is a fool's tale
Rolling over
Again and again
Telling jokes
To cool the anger of a king
But he can never be the same

This is a fool's tale
Tripping up
Spinning round and around
Try to walk
Beyond words of the wise
Then reach a place too high
Show them you can fly
And dream until you hit the ground....

Don't offer sympathy
When you've just walked away
Don't play apologies
And sentimental games
I stood before the world
And gave you my heart
And it may never beat again!

Don't give me hollow tears
Or empty cries of shame
Don't try to turn away
By throwing me the blame
I stood before the world
And gave you my soul
And now I'm living in the rain!

This is a clown's tale
Falling over
Again and again
He paints his face
With colours from the sun
But he is lying in....
He is dying in....
He is crying in the rain

Something on the edge of this place
Something on the edge of my mind
Getting closer to me
Growing stronger in me all the time
The young foretell a life ahead
The old look back on a life that's been led
But I - I see nothing
Got too much sand across my head
Sit there waiting for the phone to ring
Hopes in the attic, tied up with string
On a top shelf, bottom drawer
Any place I could ignore
The falling of this hero

No! Don't let the child die here
Don't let the child die here
Don't let his life just fade away
Don't let the child die....

I made a promise - my soul laid bare
Signed and sealed on a wing, on a prayer
But thrown to the darkness
It lies beyond repair
This solemn oath I swore to you
Has been neglected and unused
In a back room, not on show
Anywhere just not to know
The falling of this hero

No! Don't let the child die here
Don't let the child die here
Don't let his life just fade away
Don't let the child die....

There's a light behind the veil
And it's calling to me
There's a force behind the veil
And it's waiting for me
There's a hand
Reaching out
Holding on
Won't let go!
I defy you to stand
On the crack in the ice
With the power of your hand
On the crack in the ice

Rising, rising
I can feel your hands upon me
I can feel your arms around me
Rising, rising
I can feel a breath inside me
I can feel a warmth inside me
Rising, rising
I can feel your hands upon me
I can feel your arms around me
Rising, rising
I can feel a breath inside me
I can feel my heart begin to burn

"Open your eyes"
I can hear the Visitor!
Shaking me
Rousing me
Waking me
"Open your eyes"
I can hear the Visitor
Warning me
Rousing me
Calling my name

"Open your eyes
Open your eyes now!"

Did it really make a difference?
Was there strength enough to set me free?
Am I even sure I'm living now?
Or is this some kind of dream?
Is it really that important?
Did I really need to find this way?
Have I never looked inside before?
Have I always been afraid?

The vampire waits on the corner of the street
Past the clown and the words of the preacher
Try to run, but you'll never beat the thief
Are these the faces of The Visitor?

It was there in a desperate breath
It was born from a moment of death
It was held in the weakest of faith
But it seemed to last forever

It was over in a moment of sight
It was gone in a flash of a light
It was lost in the heart of the night
But it seemed to last forever

You're never alone
Take it from me
You're never alone
Just take it from me
Take it from me

Did it really make a difference?
Am I really what I seem to be?
Did I ever truly breathe again?
Or is this some kind of dream?

Pouring fuel across the fire
Let the flesh evaporate
I can hear it in their crazy voices
They're opening the floodgates
Shout loud that burning mantra
With the confidence of fools
Let it be me
Who sets you free!

Exile! You show no mercy
You're living in a mindless state
Exile! You've crossed the line this time
You've thrown it all away

And you can drag this new pariah down
Till the lifeless body breaks
I can see it in their angry faces
They're opening the floodgates
Shout loud that burning mantra
With the unity of fear
Let it be me
Who sets you free!

Exile! You show no mercy
You're living in a mindless state
Exile! You've crossed the line this time
You've thrown it all away

Exile! You show no mercy
You're living in a mindless state
Exile! You've crossed the line this time
You've thrown it all away

An Angel falls, so fragile and exposed
Soon lies crushed and wasted - Too delicate to hold
A soulful melody innocent and pure
Rises to the sky and is lost for ever more

As guilt rains down
And scars the faith of man
It flows into the ground
We will never wipe the bloodstains from our hands

A failing heart, vulnerable and weak
Waiting for the moment to beat the final beat
Surely there is someone who'll reach out
Surely there is someone who'll reach out

I am the painted man
With a frown on my face
And a language you don't understand
A wild refugee
That is all you people can see
I am the painted man
With a smile on my lips
And a living tattoo on my hand
That's no guarantee
Of the truth you people can see

Why - With poison so strong in our hearts
And the world torn apart
Why - when our actions bring nothing but pain
Can't you see that we're painted the same?

I am the painted man
With bile in my veins
From a dark and sinister plan
Blind and deceived
That is all you people believe
I am the painted man
No thought for the world
I was here when the nightmare began
Wrongly conceived
That is all you people believe

Why - With poison so strong in our hearts
And the world torn apart
Why - when our actions bring nothing but pain
Can't you see that we're painted the same?

Come down from your ivory towers
Corruption devours us all
Come down from your ivory towers
The hunger devours us all

There's a spectre at the feast
Feeding on my soul and drinking my hopes away
There's a wind from the east
My heart grows cold, my rainbows turn to grey
There's a spectre at the feast
Tearing me up and tossing my bones to the wolves
On the brink of defeat
We're moving the goals and changing the rules

Hey don't fall asleep
Don't close your eyes and drift away to some foreign land
I know who you are - My fate is in your hands

There's a spectre at the feast
Panic has a face; it's looking at me right now
There's the shadow of defeat
Got to rise and bring those demons down

Hey don't fall asleep
Don't close your eyes and drift away to some foreign land
I know who you are - My fate is in your hands

Are they so pure, that they should judge me everyday?
Am I so low in estimation, that none will hear a word I say?
Are they so sure, the human race should turn away?
In every home to be unwelcome, and none will hear a word I say!

This brave new world has fallen and decayed
Are there no heroes just men with feet of clay?

Are they so weak, that they despise me everyday?
A painful demonstration that none will hear a word I say!

This brave new world has fallen and decayed
Are there no heroes just men with feet of clay?

Are you so pure?
This brave new world has fallen and decayed
Are there no heroes just men with feet of clay?

Just a simple thought, cast into the light
Leads to such destruction - never ending night
In my blind obsession to avoid the fools I've seen
How could I not recognize the fool was always me?

As guilt rains down
And scars the faith of man
It flows into the ground
I will never wipe the bloodstains from my hands

This seed of hate was carried in my soul
Waiting for the moment when it could take control
Surely there is someone who'll reach out
Surely there is someone who'll reach out

A failing heart, vulnerable and weak
Waiting for the moment to beat the final beat

As guilt rains down
And scars the faith of man
It flows into the ground
I will never wipe the bloodstains from my hands

Is there someone who'll reach out?
Surely there is someone who'll reach out