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.
Crashing Down
Dead Poetic Lyrics
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We are alive again. We will survive again.
Don't turn your back to every move you ever made.
We are alive again. We will survive again.
And all these sinners count on us to ease their pain.
We're just as lost as them, we feel the sting from it.
Convincing masses that we're all the same.
Oh, until we all come crashing down.
We are what we are.
We've turned our back to every holy war you've played.
Will you weep when you feel this love you have killed?
We paint our faces 'til we leave a stain.
Then all the chemicals are racing in our veins.
Oh, until we all come crashing down.
We are what we are.
They paint us immaculate.
Ignoring the fact that we're shoving our faults in their faces.
They wanted more.
Of the fame, of the scripted, the same,
Of the sacred, the fraud, fabricated.
They wanted more.
Of the fame, of the scripted, the same,
Of the sacred, the fraud, fabricated.
They want it.
The lyrics to Dead Poetic's song Crashing Down express the idea that people in positions of influence, such as religious leaders or politicians, may present themselves as perfect and without fault, but in reality they are just as lost and flawed as those they try to lead. The song warns against being fooled by false sentiments and urges listeners to stay true to themselves and their beliefs. The lines "Don't turn your back to every move you ever made" and "We've turned our back to every holy war you've played" suggest a need for introspection and a rejection of external pressures to conform or perform.
The lyrics also touch on themes of fame and the desire for more, with the lines "They wanted more / of the fame, of the scripted, the same / of the sacred, the fraud, fabricated." The idea that people may put on a facade in order to gain status or popularity is highlighted with the line "We paint our faces 'til we leave a stain." Ultimately, the song acknowledges the inevitability of a downfall, or a "crashing down," and emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself despite external pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't fool the crowd with all your sentiments in vain.
Do not deceive the audience with emotions that are insincere and futile.
We are alive again. We will survive again.
We have been given another chance at life and we will persevere through difficulties once more.
Don't turn your back to every move you ever made.
Do not abandon the decisions and actions you have taken in the past.
And all these sinners count on us to ease their pain.
Many people who have sinned rely on us to alleviate their suffering.
We're just as lost as them, we feel the sting from it.
We are just as confused and pained as those who look up to us for guidance.
Convincing masses that we're all the same.
Making the public believe that we are no different from them.
Oh, until we all come crashing down.
We will eventually face an ultimate downfall.
We are what we are.
We cannot change our true nature.
We've turned our back to every holy war you've played.
We have ignored your every attempt to start a holy war.
Will you weep when you feel this love you have killed?
Will you regret destroying the love that you once cherished?
We paint our faces 'til we leave a stain.
We try to conceal our true identity, but end up causing permanent damage.
Then all the chemicals are racing in our veins.
Our emotions are heightened and uncontrollable.
They paint us immaculate.
They portray us as perfect beings.
Ignoring the fact that we're shoving our faults in their faces.
Disregarding the truth that we are showcasing our own imperfections.
They wanted more.
The public desires more from us.
Of the fame, of the scripted, the same,
More attention, more fabricated content, more of what they have already seen.
Of the sacred, the fraud, fabricated.
They yearn for more of the phony and manufactured aspects of our lives.
They want it.
They want to be constantly entertained and deceived by us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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