Vocalist/guitarist Vic Bondi was originally a protest singer with decidedly leftist views. He went on to form the bands Alloy and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup, Bondi was working as a History instructor at the University of Massachusetts. Bondi's subsequent day jobs included working on Microsoft's Encarta, where he was Managing editor of the Encarta Interactive English Learning edition (Bondi's comments on this fairly ironic form of employment can be found here). Alternative Tentacles Records released the complete discography of the band in 2002. Bondi resurfaced with another politically charged band, Report Suspicious Activity, in 2006 and was featured prominently in the documentary "American Hardcore".
Hollow Eyes
Articles of Faith Lyrics
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will humble out the best
a price is paid for independence
and disregard the rest
The air is filled with desperation
we're breathing human waste
replace our names with numbers
and empty out our face
Our pride is systematic
our honor's sterilized
in this place, misjudge the handout
and empty out our minds
These ruins are cost-efficient
our virtues memorized
and truths become a relic
and hope's become a lie
and fill us with hollow eyes
fill us with hollow eyes
We crawl our way across the desert
turn deaf ears to the blind
and paint our names in vibrant grey
and frame it with our lives
the blessings of society
reduce us all to black
We're left alone to die outside
and there's no turning back
and fill us with hollow eyes
fill us with hollow eyes
The Articles of Faith's song "Hollow Eyes" talks about a dystopian and oppressive world where the rules of the wasteland demand conformity, and those who don't comply pay the price of losing their independence. The lyrics describe how the desperation of the people has polluted the air they breathe, which has resulted in them losing their identities and becoming mere statistics. The words also bring up the idea of pride being systematic, implying that it is instilled by the oppressors to keep them under control, while their honor is sterilized, making them lose their sense of righteousness. The song paints a bleak picture of a society that strips away people's virtues, replaces the truth with propaganda, and ultimately turns hope into a lie.
The song also talks about people's struggle to survive in this unforgiving world. They crawl their way across the desert, turn a deaf ear to the blind, and paint their names in vibrant grey, trying to stand out but ultimately being reduced to black. The blessings of society become a curse, and they are left to die alone outside with no hope of turning back. These lyrics reflect the dystopian and oppressive nature of the society that the Articles of Faith have presented, and the song's message is a warning about our society's potential future if we don't make the right choices.
Line by Line Meaning
The rules of this wasteland
In this place of desolation and ruin,
will humble out the best
will make even the strongest succumb to its challenges.
a price is paid for independence
Independence comes at a cost that must be paid.
and disregard the rest
and the rest are forgotten and deemed less important.
The air is filled with desperation
Every breath is filled with sadness and hopelessness.
we're breathing human waste
We are surrounded by the filth and corruption of humanity.
replace our names with numbers
Our identities are stripped away and we are reduced to mere statistics.
and empty out our face
Our faces become emotionless and drained of life.
Our pride is systematic
Our sense of self-importance is methodical and structured.
our honor's sterilized
Our sense of dignity and respectability is stripped away.
in this place, misjudge the handout
In this environment, the aid that is given is easily misinterpreted and undervalued.
and empty out our minds
Our minds become empty and devoid of thought or individuality.
These ruins are cost-efficient
The destruction around us is efficiently managed and maintained.
our virtues memorized
Our values have become rote memorizations rather than lived experiences.
and truths become a relic
The truth is no longer valued and has become a thing of the past.
and hope's become a lie
Even hope has been corrupted and twisted into something untrue.
fill us with hollow eyes
All of this has left us empty and hollow inside.
We crawl our way across the desert
We struggle to survive in this dry and unforgiving landscape.
turn deaf ears to the blind
We ignore the plight of others in our own struggle to survive.
and paint our names in vibrant grey
We try to create something beautiful and vivid in a world that is colorless and dull.
and frame it with our lives
We stake our very existence on the beauty we have created.
the blessings of society
The good things that society has to offer,
reduce us all to black
ultimately lead us to a dark and hopeless place.
We're left alone to die outside
In the end, we are abandoned to suffer and die in the harsh world around us.
and there's no turning back
There is no escape or reprieve from this bleak existence.
fill us with hollow eyes
All of this leaves us empty and hollow inside.
fill us with hollow eyes
The emptiness and hopelessness becomes a permanent part of who we are.
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.