When in Rome

[Intro]
In the midnight hour, blooms of doom grow sour
Nightshade shedding thick, it is coming
Vines wrap round and pinch, through the cracks they inch
Seeping deeper in from the darkness
Overtake the rose, peel her floral clothes
Scrape the petals down, broken, deformed
Only thorn remains, reveal her ugly shame
By any other name, disintegrating

[Verse 1]
It's time for the emperor to be revealed
It's been concealed
But the time, like the assassin's knife, will come
Caesar, his face pale from the coffin's veil, oh well
A wound upon his mortal shell

[Chorus]
Dress up in your bones
Tearing down the thrones
Cast out the first stone
When in Rome
Bleed your Father-head
Stitched together dead
Washed your hands of Christ
Your Pilate light
Hungry teeth, they bleed
For the chance to feed
First, it's "us" and "we"
Then, it's "me"
Behold, then, your god
Your shining Abaddon
The barren king of stones
When in Rome

[Verse 2]
Oh, so you think you know what's to come tomorrow?
Open your eyes, you're blind
The curtain is closed, nothing to show, oh no
They keep it under the lids of their eyes

[Chorus]
The execution king with the face of a queen
A mouth full of leopard teeth and eyes that see
Hands reach out to harm, voices sweet that charm
Echoes bottomless, "Do not resist"
Communications crow
The black sheet starts to grow
Thunder storm shadow
When in Rome
Beasts lay starved and groan
The lions pick our bones
In the temple of gold
When in Rome