Ace of Ashes

[Intro]
Sand in his teeth
Blood on his hand
Ace walks alone
Across a burning land
[Verse 1]
Scars like a map
Cracked on his skin
Carries each name
Branded within
Blackened horizon
Smoke in his lungs
He’s counting the fallen
One by one
[Chorus]
Ace of ashes
Breathing war to stay alive (stay alive)
Every death he’s seen
Gives a reason he survives
For the faces in the fire
All the souls he swears to guide
War and death carve out a meaning
So the ones he loves
Can hide
[Verse 2]
Rust on his blade
Dried prayers on the steel
He’s trading his sleep
For a safer field
Hears their small laughter
Back in his head
Each step he takes forward
Purchases their bed
[Pre-Chorus]
Is he the monster
Or the shield in the dark?
He drowns in the ruin
To protect their spark (hey!)
[Chorus]
Ace of ashes
Breathing war to stay alive (stay alive)
Every death he’s seen
Gives a reason he survives
For the faces in the fire
All the souls he swears to guide
War and death carve out a meaning
So the ones he loves
Can hide
[Bridge]
Let it break
Let it burn
He will not turn
He will not turn
If his grave
Feeds their dawn
He’ll carry on
He’ll carry on (roar!)
[Chorus]
Ace of ashes
Breathing war to stay alive (alive)
Every scream he hears
Keeps their quiet days in mind
For the children in the doorway
For the promise in their eyes
War and death carve out a meaning
He will walk through hell
So they can live their lives

metal, Epic Middle Eastern metal: oud and saz intro on a haunting Phrygian melody, then double-time blast-beat drums and downtuned guitars slam in. Male vocals shifting from gritty melodic lines to deep growls and layered gang shouts on the chorus. Big tom-led build into a soaring bridge, then final chorus in a higher key with stacked harmonies and thunderous cymbal crashes.