Already Dead

[Verse 1] (quiet, cold) They said I shouldn’t be alive at all I remember sirens, white lights, then a fall Woke up staring at a ceiling full of cracks With a tube in my throat and a war at my back Saw your faces in the hospital glass Tried to speak but the words wouldn’t pass All I heard was whispers through the door “Should’ve died out there, he can’t take much more…” But I climbed out of that plastic grave Ripped the wires out, walked away ’Cause if I’m breathing when I should’ve been gone Then I’m not the same man I was all along [Pre-Chorus] (building, grim resolve) They stitched my skin but not my mind Left the battlefield inside I’m not afraid of what’s ahead I made my peace when I first bled [Chorus] (big, dark anthem) I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Verse 2] (heavier, ruthless edge) They put me back in armor, said, “You sure you’re fine?” I just signed the paper on the dotted line ‘Cause I’ve got names carved under my skin Every brother that we lost, every place we’ve been I walk streets where our blood still stains Burned-out churches, twisted frames There’s a cross where my own body lay But I stood up when they turned away I’m not here for medals or a folded flag I’m here to pay back every toe tag For every kid who won’t know their dad I’ll show the monsters what we have [Pre-Chorus] You can point your guns at me But there’s nothing left to seize I left my life where the shells turned red The rest of me stayed there instead [Chorus] I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Bridge] (soft → massive) (Soft, almost spoken) I remember whispering goodbye On that broken street, under that black sky Told my family I was on my way As the light in my eyes started slipping away But something dragged me back through the dark Through the screaming guns and the pounding heart Maybe it was rage, maybe it was love Maybe I wasn’t done spilling enough blood (Heavy – full band hits) So now I’m coming like a storm at night For every name we carved in white If you stand in the way of home You’ll feel the weight of all my ghosts [Breakdown] (anthemic, war-chant feel) I’ve died once, I won’t die slow You can’t break what’s lost its soul I’ve died once, I won’t die weak I am the vengeance that you seek I’ve died once, I feel no fear Every shot just pulls me near To the ones we left in red I walk with them—I’m already dead [Final Chorus] (bigger, more emotional) I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Outro] (haunting, soft) If the morning finds my body on the ground Don’t you cry like I’m not around Just know I cashed the blood we bled For all the fallen in my head I left my life where the first shell hit What’s walking now is what war left Don’t pray for me when I’m finally bled I’ve been gone for years I’m already dead

[Verse 1] (quiet, cold) They said I shouldn’t be alive at all I remember sirens, white lights, then a fall Woke up staring at a ceiling full of cracks With a tube in my throat and a war at my back Saw your faces in the hospital glass Tried to speak but the words wouldn’t pass All I heard was whispers through the door “Should’ve died out there, he can’t take much more…” But I climbed out of that plastic grave Ripped the wires out, walked away ’Cause if I’m breathing when I should’ve been gone Then I’m not the same man I was all along [Pre-Chorus] (building, grim resolve) They stitched my skin but not my mind Left the battlefield inside I’m not afraid of what’s ahead I made my peace when I first bled [Chorus] (big, dark anthem) I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Verse 2] (heavier, ruthless edge) They put me back in armor, said, “You sure you’re fine?” I just signed the paper on the dotted line ‘Cause I’ve got names carved under my skin Every brother that we lost, every place we’ve been I walk streets where our blood still stains Burned-out churches, twisted frames There’s a cross where my own body lay But I stood up when they turned away I’m not here for medals or a folded flag I’m here to pay back every toe tag For every kid who won’t know their dad I’ll show the monsters what we have [Pre-Chorus] You can point your guns at me But there’s nothing left to seize I left my life where the shells turned red The rest of me stayed there instead [Chorus] I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Bridge] (soft → massive) (Soft, almost spoken) I remember whispering goodbye On that broken street, under that black sky Told my family I was on my way As the light in my eyes started slipping away But something dragged me back through the dark Through the screaming guns and the pounding heart Maybe it was rage, maybe it was love Maybe I wasn’t done spilling enough blood (Heavy – full band hits) So now I’m coming like a storm at night For every name we carved in white If you stand in the way of home You’ll feel the weight of all my ghosts [Breakdown] (anthemic, war-chant feel) I’ve died once, I won’t die slow You can’t break what’s lost its soul I’ve died once, I won’t die weak I am the vengeance that you seek I’ve died once, I feel no fear Every shot just pulls me near To the ones we left in red I walk with them—I’m already dead [Final Chorus] (bigger, more emotional) I’m already dead So what’s one more bullet to the chest or to the head? I’m the ghost that walks the line Between your world and the one I left behind I gave my fear to the fire and smoke Now I’m the hand around the throat of your hopes If this is hell, then I’ve been fed I’m not alive like you—I’m already dead [Outro] (haunting, soft) If the morning finds my body on the ground Don’t you cry like I’m not around Just know I cashed the blood we bled For all the fallen in my head I left my life where the first shell hit What’s walking now is what war left Don’t pray for me when I’m finally bled I’ve been gone for years I’m already dead