In the fall of 2004 personal disagreements within the band caused bassist Chad Shellabarger, drummer Josh Shellabarger, and guitarist Todd Osborn to all depart the band, and Dead Poetic appeared to be a thing of the past. But remaining members Brandon Rike (vocals) and Zach Miles (guitar) began playing with accomplished drummer Jesse Sprinkle (formerly of Poor Old Lu and Demon Hunter; also the brother of Aaron Sprinkle) and their passion for music reignited. Beloved alums Dusty Redmon (guitar) and John Brehm (bass) came on board to round out the new, revamped version of Dead Poetic..
Shortly before the release of third album, Vices, lead singer Brandon Rike left the band. This was the trigger to the break up of Dead Poetic. Guitarist Dusty Redmon confirmed the band's disbanding on absolutepunk.net in September 2007:
"When Brandon left the band back in October (before "Vices" came out), a lot of big stuff was going on. We had great tour plans, a batch of new songs we were in to, and just kind of a new sense of freshness about the band. Brandon had been sort of "over it" for a long time, and just sort of picked a bad time to bail. He loves doing design, and being hang-out-at-home-type of husband, which is cool. I kind of called "NOT IT" when it came to making an announcement, but I guess so did everyone else. T&N put a lot of initial money into the record, only to see the band fall apart before the release, causing them to basically drop the entire promotion campaign. Sorry to those who were led on by thinking we were still active. Jesse is recording, Brandon is designing, John is tattooing, Zach just had a new baby, and I'm playing in the Almost."
On October 30, 2007, Jesse Sprinkle posted a MySpace bulletin reiterating that the band was still indeed together. "Contrary to popular opinion and the mighty Wikipedia, Dead Poetic has not broken up. We are still a band indeed....we figured we'd post it to the public....we assure you that Dead Poetic is alive." He went on to say that the band's label, Tooth and Nail, would be releasing a "Best Of" album for Dead Poetic in the near future, and that the band hopes to start writing songs for a new record very soon.
A Hoax to Live For
Dead Poetic Lyrics
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Or I could leave you where you stand,
Up upon that hill that'll fall to the wayside.
This hoax to live for, dictating regulation of thoughts.
This hoax to live for, the very plague that kills us all.
And in this scene, I play the protagonist, and as well I play the opposed.
All alone in the hall, your trap for the meantime.
And you call this home, no home I've ever known.
This hoax to live for, dictating regulation of thoughts.
This hoax to live for, the very plague that kills us all.
This isn't war, but these are still battles
And battles make it all die out.
This hoax to live for, dictating regulation of thoughts.
This hoax to live for, the very plague that kills us all.
The opening lines of the song, "You're all just staring, angry faces, begging for a place to die" suggest a bleak and hopeless situation. It conveys the idea that the people around the singer are already dead inside and are just waiting for their physical bodies to catch up. The line "Or I could leave you where you stand, Up upon that hill that'll fall to the wayside" seems to suggest that the singer's predicament is one of choice - they could either continue to be a part of this lifeless society or remove themselves from it.
The chorus, "This hoax to live for, dictating regulation of thoughts. This hoax to live for, the very plague that kills us all" critiques the societal pressure to conform and live a certain way, as if life itself is a hoax. The "plague" is the toxic environment that promotes this way of living and thinking. The bridge adds to this idea that life is a battle, but in the end, it all dies out. It seems to suggest that this way of living is unsustainable and will ultimately lead to the downfall of society.
Overall, the song is a critique of the societal pressure to conform and live a certain way, even when it is detrimental to individual wellbeing. The lyrics suggest that this way of living is a "hoax" and the cause of societal decline. The singer seems to be at a crossroads - whether to conform or opt-out of this way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
You're all just staring, angry faces, begging for a place to die.
You are all looking bleak and frustrated, desperately searching for a situation that would end your misery.
Or I could leave you where you stand, Up upon that hill that'll fall to the wayside.
I have the option to abandon you on a precarious hill that will inevitably crumble into insignificance.
This hoax to live for, dictating regulation of thoughts.
There exists a deception that we strive to live for, which prescribes the way we think and act.
This hoax to live for, the very plague that kills us all.
This deception we believe in is the source of the pandemic that destroys us completely.
And in this scene, I play the protagonist, and as well I play the opposed.
I am either the main defender or the primary antagonist in this act.
Or I could leave you where you stand. All alone in the hall, your trap for the meantime.
Alternatively, I can abandon you in a trap you set for yourself with only the empty hallway as your company for now.
And you call this home, no home I've ever known.
You consider this place as your sanctuary, but to me, it is unfamiliar and certainly not a haven.
This isn't war, but these are still battles
Although this is not an actual war, we continue to fight in intense disagreements.
And battles make it all die out.
These battles ultimately lead to the disintegration of everything we care about.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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