Paper Crown of Thorns

[Verse 1]
You walked in like you owned the room
Red wine stain on a borrowed truth
Lipstick laugh
Said my name too sweet
Like a promise you were planning to delete
Pulled me close just to push me back
Danced on every little hairline crack
In my chest
Yeah
You traced those lines
Turned my fractures into pick-up lines
[Chorus]
You built me up in a house of sand
Held my heart like it was contraband
Paper crown of thorns on my head
Said "stay alive" then you left me for dead
You lit the fuse just to watch me burn
Walked away
Never once looked back to learn
Yeah
You led me on
Then you led me out
Now I'm screaming your name till my lungs give out (hey!)
[Verse 2]
You called at 2 a.m
Said "I can't sleep"
So I drove all night just to watch you breathe
Shared your scars like a sacred show
But you saved the sharpest one for my throat
You carved your fears in my hopeful skin
Tattooed tales of what we "might have been"
Every touch
Just a loaded gun
Pulled the trigger with a casual "we're done"
[Chorus]
You built me up in a house of sand
Held my heart like it was contraband
Paper crown of thorns on my head
Said "stay alive" then you left me for dead
You lit the fuse just to watch me burn
Walked away
Never once looked back to learn
Yeah
You led me on
Then you led me out
Now I'm screaming your name till my lungs give out
[Bridge]
[Guitars drop to haunting clean arpeggios]
You said
"It's not you
It's just the timing" (liar)
But I see your truth between the lines
You love the chase
You love the shining
Then you toss your broken toys aside
So I dig you out of my own veins
Spit your ghost from my last name
This bleeding boy becomes the blade
I cut your memory away (away, away)
[Chorus]
You built me up in a house of sand
Held my heart like it was contraband
Paper crown of thorns on my head
Said "stay alive" then you left me for dead
You lit the fuse just to watch me burn
But from the ashes I finally learn
You can lead me on
You can lead me out
But you don't own the voice that is tearing you down (oh)
[Outro]
[Full-band breakdown
Vocals half-screamed
Half-sung]
You were the storm
I was the ground
Now you're just dust
And I'm the sound

folk, Metalcore with male vocals; drop-tuned guitars in a tight chug/slide pattern, halftime verses that explode into double-time choruses. Screamed leads over the heaviest moments, switching to gritty melodic belting on hooks. Drums swing between syncopated breakdowns and driving blasts; bass locked to the kick for weight. Brief ambient guitar swells in the bridge before a final, crushing outro., metalcore