1. A Nightmare To Remember

I've got a Nightmare to remember
I'll never be the same.
What began as laughter
So soon would turn to pain.
The Night was clear and frigid
The air was thick and still
Now I'm not one to soon forget
And I bet I never will

Picture for a moment
The perfect irony
A flawless new beginning
Eclipsed by irony.
The uninvited stranger
Started dancing on his own
So we said goodbye to the glowing bride
And we made our way back home.

Life was so simple then
We were so innocent.
Father and mother
Holding each other.
(Chug chug chug chug)

Without warning
Out of nowhere
Like a bullet
From the night
Crushing Glass
Rubber and steel
Scorching fire
Glowing lights
Screams of terror
Pain of Fear
Sounds of sirens
Smoke in my eyes
Sudden stillness
Wrapped in silence
No more screaming
No more cries

Stunned and bewildered
Cold and afraid
Torn up and broken
Frightened and dazed

Stunned and bewildered
Cold and afraid
Torn up and broken
Frightened and dazed

Lying on the table
In this unfamiliar place
I'm greeted by a stranger
A man without a face
He said, "Son do you remember?
Do you even know your name?"
Then he shined a light into my eyes
And said, "take this for the pain."

Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.
I am endlessly falling,
Lost in this wonderful misery.
In peaceful sedation, I lay half awake
And thought of the panic inside starts to fade.
Hopelessly drifting, bathing in beautiful agony.

"Tell me does this hurt you?"
Said the faceless man.
"Can you move all of your fingers?
Can you try your best to stand?"
I asked about the others
"Is everyone okay?"
He told me not to worry
As he turned and looked away.

Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.
I am endlessly falling,
Lost in this wonderful misery.
In peaceful sedation, I lay half awake
And thought of the panic inside starts to fade.
Hopelessly drifting, bathing in beautiful agony.

Day after day
And night after night
We burden the oppressed
Did they ever see the red light?

Over and over
Scene by scene
Like a recurring nightmare haunting my dreams.
How could you prepare
For what would happen next?
The search you'll never have to see
Hi father such a mess.
It's a miracle he lived
It's a blessing no one died
By the Grace of God above
Everyone survived
Life was so simple then
We were so innocent.
It will stay with us forever
A nightmare to remember

2. A Rite Of Passage

This is the new world order
Plague upon our peers
Spreading accusations
Of radical fears

The brotherhood of wisdom
Strength and dignity
Its rituals and secrets
Remain a mystery

Beneath the ever watchful eye
The angels of the temple fly

Turn the key walk through the gate
The great ascent to reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The final stage a sacred home
Unlock the door and lay upon the stone
A rite of passage

Men of wealth and power
Influence and fate
Philosophers and leaders
Are members of the trade

Bound by open honor
Like the rose and cross
An enigmatic union
An esoteric flux

Beneath the ever watchful eye
The angels of the temple fly

Turn the key walk through the gate
The great ascent to reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The final stage a sacred home
Unlock the door and lay upon the stone
A rite of passage

Turn the key walk through the gate
The great ascent to reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The seven stars the rising sun
A perfect world a new life has begun
A rite of passage

3. Wither

Let it out, let it out
Feel the empty Space
So insecure find the words and let it out

Staring down, staring down
Nothing comes to mind
Find the place turn the water into wine

But I feel I'm getting nowhere
And ill never see the end

So I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in and everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me

Turn it on
Turn it on
Let the feelings flow
Close your eyes
See the ones you used to know

Open up open up
Don't struggle to relate
Lure it out
Help the memory escape
Still transparentness consumes me
And I feel like giving up

So I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me

I wither
And give myself away

Light reflections on the cage
The worlds want to create

I drown in hesitation
My words come crashing down
And all my best creations
Burning to the ground

The final staring over
Leaves me paralysed
Tear it out again
Another one that got away

I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear

I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me
I wither
And give myself away

Light reflections on the cage
The worlds want to create
The worlds which you create

Let it out let it out

4. The Shattered Fortress

Freedom – calls my name
Serenity – keeps me sane
Happiness – it dulls the pain
Honor – to save my fate
Hoping – to run away
Willingness – to understand
Justice – but do not judge
Courtesy – for all to start
Kindness – it's not that hard
Self-restraint – the self impaired
Inventory – my daily bread
Analysis – and then you're gone

Look in the mirror
What do you see?
The Shattered Fortress
That once burned me

Faithfull ascent
Through darkest fires
I've found the path
To take me higher

You're smart enough
For me to trust
Go live your life now
Just keep these steps
In your life
And you'll know how

If you're not sure
Ask yourself
Have I done to them
As I would have them
Do to me?

Look in the mirror
What's that you see?
The Shattered Fortress
Fly now, be free!

Faithful ascent
Through darkest fires
I've found the path
To take me higher

I once thought it better
To be right
But now I have finally seen the light
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
And learn from mistakes
I live with serenity now
Not self-righteous hate

(Help me be a channel of Thy peace
That were there is hatred, I may bring love
That were there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness
That were there is discord, I may bring harmony
That were there is error, I may bring truth
That were there is doubt, I may bring faith)

Now that you can see all you have done
(That were there is despair, I may bring hope
That were there is shadow, I may bring light)

It's time to take that step into the kingdom
(That were there is sadness, I may bring joy)

All your sins will help to make you strong
(That I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted
That I may seek to understand, rather than to be understood)

And help you break right through the prison wall
(That I may seek to love, rather than to be loved,
for it is by self-forgetting that one finds,
it is by forgiving that one is forgiven)

Keep all of me
The desires that once burned me deep inside
Help me live today
And help to give me grace
To carry out your ways

I am ready, help me be all I can be
I am ready, help guide me and keep me straight

I am responsible when anyone, anywhere
Reaches out for help, I want my hand to be there
I am responsible when anyone, anywhere
Reaches out for help, I want my hand to be there

5. The Best Of Times

Remember days of yesterday
And how it flew so fast
The two score and a year we had,
I thought would always last
The summer days and west coast dreams,
I wished would never end
A young boy and his father,
Idol and best friend

I'll always remember
Those were the best of times
A lifetime together
I'll never forget

Morning shows on the radio
The case of the missing dog
Lying on the hills of?
Watching Harold and Maude
Record shops, the stick-ball fields
My home away from home
When we weren't together
The hours on the phone

I'll always remember
Those were the best of times
I'll cherish them forever
The best of times

But then came the call
Our lives changed forever more
You can pray for a change
But prepare for the end

The fleeting winds of time
Flying through each day
All the things I should have done
But time just slipped away
Remember "seize the day"
Life goes by in the blink of an eye
There's so much left to say

These were the best of times
I'll miss these days
Your spirit led my life each day

Thank you for the inspiration
Thank you for the smiles
All the unconditional love
That carried me for miles
It carried me for miles
But most of all thank you for my life

These were the best of times
I'll miss these days
Your spirit led my life each day
My heart is bleeding bad
But I'll be okay
Your spirit guides my life each day

6. The Count Of Tuscany

Several years ago in a foreign town
Far away from home, I met the Count of Tuscany.
A young eccentric man, bred from royal blood,
Took me for a ride across the open countryside

"Get into my car
Let's go for a drive
Along the way I'll be your guide
Just step inside
Maybe you'll recall
A cannibal curator
A character inspired
By my brother's life"

Winding through the hills, city far behind
On an offbeat road down narrow streets and dusty roads
At last we came upon a picturesque estate
On sprawling emerald fields, an ancient world of times gone by

"Let me introduce
My brother
A bearded gentleman
Historian"
Sucking on his pipe
Distinguished accents
Making me uptight
No accident

I want to stay alive
Everything about this place just doesn't feel right
I don't want to die
Suddenly I'm frightened for my life
I want to say goodbye
This could be the last time you see me alive
I may not survive
Knew it from the moment we arrived

"Would you like to see
A secret holy place
I come here late at night
To pray to him by candlelight"
Then peering through the glass
I saw with disbelief
Still dressed in royal clothes
Saint behind the altar

History recalls
During times of war
Legend has been traced
Back inside these castle walls
When soldiers came to hide
In barrels filled with wine
Never to escape
These tombs of oak are where they died

"Down the cellar stairs
I disappear
Like the English heir
The end is near
Come and have a taste
Of rare vintage
Of the finest wines
Improved with age"

I want to stay alive
Everything about this place just doesn't feel right
I don't want to die
Suddenly I'm frightened for my life
I want to say goodbye
This could be the last time you see me alive
I may not survive
Knew it from the moment we arrived.

Could this be the end?
Is this the way I die?
Sitting here alone
No one by my side
I don't understand
I don't feel that I deserve this
What did I do wrong?
I just don't understand

Give me one more chance
Let me please explain
It's all been circumstance
I'll tell you once again
You took me for a ride
Promising a vast adventure
The next that I know
I'm frightened for my life

"Now wait a minute man
That's not how it is
You must be confused
That isn't who I am
Please don't be afraid
I would never try to hurt you
But this is how we live
Strange although it seems
Please try to forgive"

"The chapel and the saint
The soldiers and the wine
The fables and the tales
All handed down through time
Of course you're free to go
Go and tell the world my story
Tell them of my brother
Tell them about me
The Count of Tuscany"