Downbound Highway

[Verse 1]
Billboards burning on the overpass
Neon prophets selling plastic faith
Gold-plated chains on a paper class
Laugh while they drag us to the grave
Glass-eyed preachers on the TV glow
Saying
“Close your eyes
It’ll be just fine”
But the kids out back light the world in smoke
Spray-paint the truth on a corporate sign
[Chorus]
We’re on a downbound highway
Riding straight to hell
Every promise that they made us
Sold and torn and shelled
Hear the engine screaming
As the levee cracks and melts
Downbound highway
We built this road to hell
[Verse 2]
Black-suit kings with their poison pens
Shuffle our lives like a deck of cards
Smiling while they sell off the oxygen
Trade our tomorrows for bonus charts
Rust on the gears of the factory town
Empty eyes in the checkout line
Scrolling through flames as it all falls down
Hearts going dead in real time
[Chorus]
We’re on a downbound highway
Riding straight to hell
Every promise that they made us
Sold and torn and shelled
Hear the engine screaming
As the levee cracks and melts
Downbound highway
We built this road to hell
[Bridge]
Can you feel the floor give way? (hey!)
Under steel and glass and pride
Every lie we chose to stay
Is the match we struck inside
[Chorus]
We’re on a downbound highway
Riding straight to hell
All the stories that they fed us
Now they rot and swell
Hear the children chanting
As the final curtain fell
Downbound highway
We built this road to hell
Downbound highway
We’re riding straight to hell

metal, Blazing 80s metal gallop with twin-lead guitars, chugging palm-mutes, and soaring male vocals; verses ride a driving mid-tempo beat with tight, punchy drums and snarling rhythm tone, while the chorus explodes into big, anthemic power chords and stacked gang shouts. Add a searing, harmonized lead break after the second chorus and let the final refrain ride out on sustained vocals and feedback.