TITLE:
True Dawn

STYLE:
Nordic Viking metal fused with hip-hop, drop-D down-tuned heavy guitars, pounding war drums, tagelharpa and bone flute, deep throat-singing drones, cinematic strings, male baritone half-rap lead, female contralto lead, massive mixed choir, gang shouts, anthemic, epic, modern heavy production, clear intelligible English vocals, 84 BPM, closing anthem, opens hushed then climbs to triumphant, warm major-key lift

EXCLUDE STYLES:
autotune, EDM drop, lo-fi, comedy, spoken-word only, children's choir, country, reggae

LYRICS:
[Intro - wind dying down, first birdsong, soft tagelharpa and female hum, instrumental]

[Verse 1 - female contralto, warm and tender]
The night was long and the dawn was false,
We nearly marched for a merchant's cause.
But the ravens are home and the mirror is glass,
And the fire we feared has been let to pass.

[Verse 2 - male baritone half-rap, calm, gathering strength]
Remember the winter we starved the wolf called Want?
Every table full and not a hollow haunt.
Now we starve the other one, the wolf that lives on fear,
The one that fed on rumors, and we won't feed it here.
The halls are standing open and the spears are on the wall,
The watchman on the bridge is sounding no alarm at all.
The merchant packs his ledger and he rows away at night,
And no one bothers chasing him, the morning is too bright.

[Pre-Chorus - both voices in harmony, drums build, strings rise]
Open the door,
Let the light in.
This is the dawn
Where the true things begin.

[Chorus - full band, triumphant, massive choir, major-key lift]
This is the true dawn,
Not the one they sold.
This is the true dawn,
Warm after the cold.
Every hall, every shore,
Every hand we held,
This is the true dawn,
And the lie is felled.

[Bridge - female contralto and choir, soaring]
No more ravens that we cannot trust.
No more mirrors made of dust.
Only faces, only names,
Only morning, only warming flames.

[Final Chorus - full band, biggest choir, key lift, joyous and heavy]
This is the true dawn,
Not the one they sold.
This is the true dawn,
Warm after the cold.
Every hall, every shore,
Every hand we held,
This is the true dawn,
And the lie is felled.

[Outro - music thins to tagelharpa and birdsong, female a cappella]
The ravens are home.
The morning is ours.