Crack the Vent by Hand

[Intro] [Instrumental: rolling tom pickup, low palm-muted chug, bass slide, swelling strings] [Verse 1] Night transfer, tank four groans against its steel The gauge climbs past the red; the seams begin to kneel I slap the valve—no give, the handle locked in place The cellar floor drains burp brown foam across my face [Chorus] Hold fast, hold fast, don’t let the vessel split Your hands are on the wheel, your call is all of it You say the batch can live, you say we have the time I crack the vent by hand while the drains climb the line [Verse 2] The brewmaster shouts, “we can still save this run” The pressure keeps on climbing; the transfer’s nearly done I brace my boots against the wet and wrench the seized-off key A thin breath cuts the roar; the steel lets go of me [Chorus] Hold fast, hold fast, don’t let the vessel split Your hands are on the wheel, your call is all of it You say the batch can live, you say we have the time I crack the vent by hand while the drains climb the line [Guitar solo] [Instrumental: expressive heavy guitar solo over the main riff] [Verse 3] The tank’s bowed side shudders; the gauge falls out of red The drains are running backward, brown water at my tread You count the salvaged barrels; i count the bolts that held One turn between a paycheck and a cellar full of hell [Chorus] Hold fast, hold fast, don’t let the vessel split Your hands are on the wheel, your call is all of it You say the batch can live, you say we have the time I cracked the vent by hand while the drains climbed the line [Outro] The transfer stops; the cellar breathes The tank stands bent, the floor still heaves [Instrumental: final chug, rolling toms, ringing guitar chord]