before they hit the ground

English lyrics

[INTRO — MALE RITUAL CHOIR, DISTANT → HUGE] (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) (hmm!-hmm!-â!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-â!!) LUX IN TENEBRIS!!! (â!-â!-ee!!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!!) [DEEP BARITONE — CLOSE, EXHAUSTED] I thought the breaking point would sound like thunder. It didn't. [BREATH] It sounded like... I'm tired. [SUB IMPACT] (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-EE!!!) (OO!!!-HÂ!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!!) [VERSE 1 — RESTRAINED, STEADY PRESSURE] I was the last door open, (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) last hand inside the smoke, (hmm!-â!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) last voice saying, there is still a road. (oo!-hâ!-ee!-â!!!) I learned to see the falling before they hit the ground, learned to hear the silence when nobody turned around. (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) [BARITONE — DARKER] But lately I've been asking: what happens when I fill? When mercy turns to pressure and pressure tests the will? (hmm!-hâ!-hmm!-hâ!-â!-ee!!) [NEAR SILENCE] I'm not afraid of falling. I'm not afraid to bleed. I'm afraid I'll watch somebody fall... and feel no need to reach. [CHOIR EXPLOSION] Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-EE!!! OO!!!-HÂ!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!! SURGE!!!! NON CEDE!!!! [PRE-CHORUS — RISING] If that thought still hurts you, (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) if the fear still burns, if becoming cold is the thing you fear becoming... LISTEN!!! [CHORUS — FULL OPERATIC PROJECTION] YOU'RE STILL HERE!!!! (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-HÂ!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!!) STILL HERE!!!! (hmm!!-â!!-ee!!-oo!!-hâ!!-oo!!-Â!!!!) You are not cold, YOU ARE OVERLOADED!!! (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!!) You are not gone, YOU ARE EXHAUSTED!!!! (hmm!-hâ!-hmm!-hâ!-â!-ee!-oo!-Â!!!!) If your hands are shaking, THEY ARE STILL REACHING!!!! (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!!) If your heart is breaking, IT IS STILL BEATING!!!! (Â!!!!-OO!!!!-HÂ!!!!-Â!!!!) [POST-CHORUS — RITUAL ENGINE] â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!! hmm!-hmm!-â!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-â!! â!-â!-ee!!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!! [VERSE 2 — DRY LEAD] Maybe you spoke too sharply. Maybe you crossed a line. Maybe the safest place you had caught everything you kept inside. (â!-ee!-oo!-ee!-oo!-hâ!-oo!-â!!) [CLIPPED COMMANDS] Name it!!! Own it!!! Change it!!! Stand!!!! Don't build a kingdom from one broken night. Don't call yourself the darkness because you lost the light. (hmm!-hâ!-hmm!-hâ!-â!-ee!-oo!-â!!) MISERERE!!! AD LUCEM!!!! (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!!) [PRE-DROP — BREATH + DISTANT CHOIR] You don't have to be unbreakable for hope to stay alive. One honest breath is enough. [WHISPER] I'm still inside. [MASSIVE DROP] [CHORUS 2 — HARDER] STILL HERE!!!! (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-HÂ!!!-OO!!!-Â!!!!) Not a saint. Not a machine. Not an endless source for everybody's need. But if you still care that one day you might not care... THERE IS STILL FIRE UNDER THERE!!!! (Â!!!-Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-HÂ!!!-Â!!!!) [RITUAL BREAK — FULL CATHEDRAL] LUX IN TENEBRIS!!!! SPES MANET!!!! COR MANET!!!! SURGE!!!! NON CEDE!!!! (Â!!!-EE!!!-OO!!!-HÂ!!!-Â!!!!) [OPERATIC BARITONE] Rise without becoming stone. Stand without standing alone. Give... without giving your soul away. STAY!!!! (STAY!!!-STAY!!!-STAY!!!!) [BRIDGE — CINEMATIC ASCENT] There are people who will pass by. There are people who won't see. There are people who will see the wound and make it deeper. And then there are the ones who stop. Who turn. Who kneel. Who stay. (Â!-EE!-OO!-HÂ!-Â!!!) [DIRECT, INTIMATE] If you're one of them... listen carefully. Your exhaustion is not proof that your compassion died. [HUGE BREATH] It is proof... THAT COMPASSION HAS A COST!!!! (Â!!!!-EE!!!!-OO!!!!-HÂ!!!!) [FINAL BUILD] Fall if you must. Breathe if you must. Drop to your knees if your body demands. But when the dark voice says, "You've become nothing..." [ALL MUSIC CUTS] Stand. I... (â...) AM... (hmm...) STILL... (â!-ee!-oo!!) HERE!!!! [FINAL CHORUS — CELESTIAL MAXIMUM] STILL HERE!!!! (Â!!!!-EE!!!!-OO!!!!-EE!!!!-OO!!!!-HÂ!!!!-OO!!!!-Â!!!!) Still reaching through the pressure!!! Still choosing not to turn!!! Still afraid of losing kindness!!! SO KINDNESS STILL BURNS!!!! (BURNS!!!-BURNS!!!-BURNS!!!!) If your hands are shaking, THEY ARE STILL REACHING!!!! If your heart is breaking, IT IS STILL BEATING!!!! [FINAL RITUAL CHOIR] LUX IN TENEBRIS!!!! SPES MANET!!!! COR MANET!!!! SURGE!!!! NON CEDE!!!! (Â!!!!-EE!!!!-OO!!!!-HÂ!!!!-Â!!!!) [LEAD — COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED] I'm tired. [ONE FULL BEAT OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE] [ENTIRE CHOIR + SUB-BASS — MAXIMUM FORCE] BUT STILL HERE!!!! (Â!!!!-EE!!!!-OO!!!!-EE!!!!) (OO!!!!-HÂ!!!!-OO!!!!-Â!!!!) [OUTRO — DISTANT CATHEDRAL TAIL] (â...-ee...-oo...-ee...-oo...-hâ...-oo...-â...) Not cold. Not gone. Still here.