Here are 25 rock and metal songs that were written about the tragedy that struck when the World Trade Center was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001.
Today marks 25 years since the deadliest act of terrorism took place on U.S. soil with a total of 2,977 lives lost. We remember the innocent victims, the courageous first responders and all of the survivors whose lives were forever changed.
By the time the dust settled, the U.S. would never be the same again. One month after the attacks, the Patriot Act was signed into effect by George W. Bush to help combat terrorism. That November, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created to reform and strengthen airport security. The following year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established to protect citizens from terrorism and natural disasters.
There have been long-lasting effects as a result of the attacks too: widespread anxiety and paranoia (especially when flying), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health issues as a result of the toxins from the collapse of the towers, the smoke and all of the debris. A report shared by The Conversation earlier this month states that 23 percent of World Trade Center first responders have been diagnosed with PTSD — and that doesn’t count the rest who’ve never sought help for their suffering.
All of this is to say that we’re still feeling the aftermath of a massive tragedy that took place 25 years ago. And as divided as Americans seem to be today, we must remember what happened that day, the people involved and how the U.S. was shaped by it.
READ MORE: 14 Rock + Metal Songs Written About U.S. History
Below are 25 rock and metal songs that were written about the atrocities that took place on Sept. 11, 2001, with added lyrical emphasis. Many of the tracks were written from the perspective of the victims and their loved ones, others from that of the first responders and one was even written from the viewpoint of the perpetrators.
Scroll below to listen. These artists shared these songs to make sure we never forget.
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My Chemical Romance, ‘Skylines and Turnstiles’
Album: I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002)
And in this moment, we can’t close the lids on burning eyes
Our memories blanket us, with friends we know, like fallout vapors
Steel corpses stretch out towards an ending sun
Scorched and black, it reaches in and tears your flesh apart
As ice cold hands rip into your heart*Witnessing the attacks on the World Trade Center on his way to New York City was what inspired Gerard Way to start My Chemical Romance in the first place.
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Dream Theater, ‘Sacrificed Sons’
Album: Octavarium (2005)
Walls are closing anxiously
Channel surfing frantically
Burning city, smoke and fire
Planes we’re certain, faith inspired
No clues, a complete surprise
Who’ll be coming home tonight? -
Testament, ‘The Evil Has Landed’
Album: The Formation of Damnation (2008)
The sky began to fall
Ripping open a path up to heaven
Time slowed to a crawl
Early morning, September 11th
Steel crumbling frames
The scales of justice are decimated
Hate ignites the flames
New York City incinerated -
Slayer, ‘Jihad’
Album: Christ Illusion (2006)
Twins in the end
Begin and let the brothers fall*This song was written from the perspective of the perpetrators of the attacks, as many of Slayer’s previous works on historical atrocities had also been.
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Thrice, ‘Broken Lungs’
Album: The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV (2008)
A fire burns beneath Manhattan
Still we breathe with broken lungs
We act like none of this matters
Is that what we meant when we said that we’d sing what must be sung? -
Velvet Revolver, ‘Messages’
Album: Libertad (2007)
Tell my son I wish I never yelled at him yesterday
‘Cause everything’s changed
Radar signal seekin’ you, but findin’ nothing at all
Hey
Blow the horn and call the cavalry, there’s somethin’ happenin’
Hey -
Tesla, ‘Heaven Nine Eleven’
Album: Into the Now (2004)
Tell me why it takes a tragedy to see
To wake us up and bring us down on to our knees
With all the people suffering with diseases
And that the way
That’s the way
That’s the way of the world -
Rush, ‘Peaceable Kingdom’
Album: Vapor Trails (2002)
Justice against The Hanged Man
Knight of Wands against the hour
Swords against the kingdom
Time against The Tower -
Yellowcard, ‘Believe’
Album: Ocean Avenue (2003)
Think about the love inside, the strength of heart
Think about the heroes saving life in the dark
Climbing higher through the fire, time was running out
Never knowing you weren’t going to be coming down alive
But you still came back for me
You were strong and you believed -
Evanescence, ‘My Last Breath’
Album: Fallen (2003)
Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you
Sweet raptured light? It ends here tonight -
Iced Earth, ‘When the Eagle Cries’
Album: The Glorious Burden (2004)
Another day, just like any other
Out of the blue, it turned into horror
How could they?
Why would they?
The innocent suffered Hell’s inferno
A senseless act that goes unforgotten -
Bon Jovi, ‘Undivided’
Album: Bounce (2002)
That was my brother lost in the rubble
That was my sister lost in the crush
That was our mothers, those were our children
That was our fathers, that was each one of us*Much of the album Bounce was inspired by the attacks on Sept. 11, but this song in particular was a direct response to the tragedy.
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Killswitch Engage, ‘Life to Lifeless’
Album: Alive or Just Breathing (2002)
Humanity cover me
With the ashes of remembrance
I will learn from this pain, pain
There is no darkness without light to teach us of ourselves -
Bruce Springsteen, ‘The Rising’
Album: The Rising (2002)
Can’t see nothing in front of me
Can’t see nothing coming up behind
Make my way through this darkness
I can’t feel nothing but this chain that binds me*Nearly the whole album consists of songs written from the perspective of people who were directly affected by the attacks on Sept. 11. The title track was written from that of a firefighter.
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Neil Young, ‘Let’s Roll’
Album: Are You Passionate? (2002)
No time for indecision, we’ve got to make a move
I hope that we’re forgiven for what we got to do
How this all got started, I’ll never understand
I hope someone can fly this thing and get us back to land*”Let’s roll” was a phrase said by Todd Beamer, who was a passenger on board United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after he and several other passengers stormed the cockpit and regained control of the plane from the hijackers.
Unfortunately, everyone on board was killed, but Beamer and the other passengers’ bravery stopped the plane from reaching its target: Washington D.C.
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W.A.S.P., ‘Hallowed Ground’
Album: Dying for the World (2002)
There is no rain to save this silent town
There is no rain to save at all
There is no place to save this silent ground
There is no place to save at all -
Eagles, ‘Hole in the World’
Album: The Very Best Of (2003)
There’s a hole in the world tonight
There’s a cloud of fear and sorrow
There’s a hole in the world tonight
Don’t let there be a hole in the world tomorrow -
Bret Michaels, ‘One More Day’
Album: Songs of Life (2003)
I stare at the TV
And I can’t believe my eyes
There’s no place to run
And no place to go
There’s no place left to hide -
Within Temptation, ‘Stand My Ground’
Album: The Silent Force (2004)
Stand my ground, I won’t give in
No more denying, I’ve gotta face it
Won’t close my eyes and hide the truth inside
If I don’t make it, someone else will stand my ground -
Ministry, ‘Lies Lies Lies’
Album: Rio Grande Blood (2006)
I’m on a mission to never forget
3,000 people that I’ve never met
We want some answers and all that we get
Some kind of shit about a terrorist threat -
Sabaton, ‘In the Name of God’
Album: Attero Dominatus (2006)
Captured in all your lies, fear is in your eyes
Creature who’s gone insane, your war is in vain
Trapped in a cage of stone, we’ll destroy your home
Consequence of your action -
Fear Factory, ‘Controlled Demolition’
Album: Mechanize (2010)
Destroying lives of innocence
Collateral dissonance
Malignant depravity
Faith based mob and their mentality -
L.A. Guns, ‘OK, Let’s Roll’
Album: Waking the Dead (2002)
United Airlines Flight 93
Left 8:01 from Gate 17
Victims of a war they never knew existed
Hell looked them in the eye
And still they resisted*Inspired by passenger Todd Beamer on United Airlines Flight 93.
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Disturbed, ‘Prayer’
Album: Believe (2002)
Another nightmare about to come true
Will manifest, tomorrow
Another love that I’ve taken from you
Lost in time, on the edge of suffering*David Draiman has confirmed that “Prayer” is partially inspired by the attacks on 9/11, though it was also written following the death of his grandfather in 2001.
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The Cranberries, ‘New New York’
Album: Gold (2008)
I look across these city streets
My heart is numb, it still beats
Nothing to say
There’s nothing to say
I look across this empty room
My heart is still in gloom
There’s nothing to say
I only can pray
