Protest The Hero’s track “Grandfather’s Axe” from their 2023 album Within showcases the band’s signature blend of technical metalcore and lyrical intensity. The song’s intricate arrangements and raw vocal delivery make it a standout moment on the record.
The lyrics explore themes of inevitability, change, and the struggle to let go, using vivid metaphors of woodwork and decay to illustrate the tension between holding onto the past and moving forward.
My words come back to me
As I watch you walk away
So cue up a laugh track and playback my previous take
(Fuckin’ sexy Tony)
A quick glance around the room reveals to me a truth
Everyone is temporary and moving on from you
Come back to my place tomorrow
We’ll grab a case and a bottle
No brakes, it’s all fucking throttle
Nothing to do but move on
I can’t fight it
But I can’t accept it and just move on
I can’t fight it
No, I can’t fight it
New blood, old veins
Fresh kill, stale pain
Same old sickness, but a brand new strain
Like new wine in old bottles
Fresh flesh on fossils
It’s alive
(It’s a lie)
It’s the same damn thing
It’s commonplace, but still quite strange
How different pieces are arranged
Create a hull that looks the same
But everything has changed
Fragments of yesteryear remain despite decay
While violent weather washed other parts away
(Fuckin’ wash it away)
A fresh bit of lumber
Perfect size to fill the gape
(What the fuck!?)
Measured and cut down
And hammered into place
Although it’s plain as day
What has remained has changed, too
I know you hear it in my voice
Come back to my place tomorrow
New faces, same fucking bottle
No brakes it’s only the throttle
Nothing left to do but move on
I can’t fight it
Maybe I’m holding on too long
I can’t let go
Cause I’m not done
I’m not done
So give me that fucking beat, you asshole
Make it fast and desperate
We’re not here without you
I don’t care if they accept it
Play that fuckin’ riff, you dickhead
I wanna hear it sing
It’s alive
(It’s a lie)
It’s the same damn thing
We’re swimming with the tide
On a course diagonal
Swim against the tide and die
Bathe in the warmth and light
Of the final setting sun
The day is long, but finally done
I miss my friends
I miss the crew
I miss the old days
I’ll take them with my where I go
On every stage
It’s alive
(It’s a lie)
It’s the same damn thing
Fans have praised “Grandfather’s Axe” for its relentless energy and thought‑provoking lyrics, noting that it captures the band’s ability to blend ferocious instrumentation with introspective storytelling.
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