This week’s Metal Tuesday continues Iced Earth’s Gettysburg trilogy with “Hold at All Costs.” This song deals with the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, and includes references to the charge by the Maine 20th.

Lyrics:

Just a mile or so away
Is my dearest friend in this world
He wears the blue and I, the grey
And God, it hurts me so

The last time we were together
I grabbed his hand and I pledged
If I ever draw my sword on you
May the good Lord strike me dead

The union flank’s in trouble
To the round top on the double
A bad decision, insubordination
Exposed our line in a dangerous way

The burden lies upon us
Surrender is not an option
We are the flank and if we break
The union crumbles, we could lose the war

Down below’s the carnage
The rebels charging onward
Push the slaughter forward, the peach orchard
Through the wheat field and devil’s den

The valor of the Texans
And Alabama’s best men
They’re unrelenting and devastating
The last full measure of devotion’s clear

We’ll know what we’re made of
When up against all odds, we hold our line
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all costs

We’ll know what we’re made of
When our nation needs us
We’ll stay the course for the union we so love

We must hold at all costs

Wave after wave, they are coming
Their power must be waning
We’re out of ammo, we can’t fall back, no
A desperate measure, a means to end

On their next wave, we charge them
There is no other option
Disconcert them, force submission
On my command, fix bayonets

We’ll know what we’re made of
When up against all odds, we hold our line
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all costs

We’ll know what we’re made of
When our nation needs us
We’ll stay the course for the union we so love
We must hold at all costs

We’ll know what we’re made of
(The burden lies with us)
When up against all odds, we hold our line
(We can’t fail)
(For the cause that we so love)
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all costs

We’ll know what we’re made of
(With courage in our hearts)
When our nation needs us, we’ll stay the course
(We won’t fail)
(For the union we so love)
For the union we so love
We must hold at all cost