As Hope Dies was a melodic death metal/melodic metalcore band out of Orange… Read Full Bio ↴As Hope Dies was a melodic death metal/melodic metalcore band out of Orange County, California. They are very influenced by the Swedish death metal act At The Gates, except they do not have guitar solos in their songs, yet instead focus heavily on harmonized riffs. The band broke up after their 2003 release, but announced in August of 2004 that they had reformed. They released a self-titled EP in 2005, only to split up again.

David Richardson vocals
Justin Smith guitar
Troy Bootow (2003- ) guitar
Adam hunt drums

Previous Members
Eric Duncan (2001-2003) guitar
Josh Hassebrock (2001-2003) bass

Birthplace And Burial Site
As Hope Dies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Half drowned in these holes
We've dug for ourselves
How far have these days taken us
We rest on the backs
Of treaded paths
And encircle the ghost
Of used we used
There's death

In these clutched hands
These words our bricks
And so we build our fortresses
The past into our chests
Let me become whole this time
And carry warmth
Instead carry ice in my ribs

Or bury me now to prove
I nevre set foot from this grave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Birthplace And Burial Site" chiefly convey a sense of despair and hopelessness, drawing on the imagery of the futile excavation of graves as a metaphor for the oppressive weight of the past on the present. The opening line of "half drowned in these holes we've dug for ourselves" establishes a mood of entrapment and defeat. The repetition of the word "burial" and the insistence on the "ghost" of the past are harrowing reminders of how difficult it is to move on from traumatic experiences.

The second verse suggests that the weight of history is palpable and inescapable, with the singer feeling inexorably tied to the past. The words they use to express themselves are bricks, and their fortresses are constructed of the past. The imagery of "'used' we used" implies that the singer is not just a passive recipient of the past, but has actively participated in perpetuating it, without being entirely aware of the repercussions.

The final verse is an invocation of hope, however faint. The plea to "become whole this time" suggests that the singer is not content with the cycle of despair and wants to break free from the past to "carry warmth" and become a more positive force in the world. Yet, the final line, "Or bury me now to prove I never set foot from this grave," is a reminder of the continued difficulty of escaping the past and the constant struggle for redemption and change.

Line by Line Meaning

Half drowned in these holes
Feeling overwhelmed and stuck in difficult situations

We've dug for ourselves
We are responsible for creating our own problems

How far have these days taken us
How much progress have we really made with our lives?

We rest on the backs
We rely on the efforts of those who came before us

Of treaded paths
Familiar and established ways of doing things

And encircle the ghost
Hovering over the remnants of our own past

Of used we used
The relics of our previous actions

There's death
The consequences of our choices can be severe

In these clutched hands
We are holding onto our past mistakes

These words our bricks
Our negative self-talk and limiting beliefs build barriers for ourselves

And so we build our fortresses
We create emotional barriers to shield ourselves from further pain and hurt