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.
Hostages
Dead Poetic Lyrics
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I could have reminisced for hours.
But right now you are all I get to remember.
I'm waiting for something to get through to you.
I'm waiting to see a truer side of you, and we're...
Let's make this quick. I'll bother you, you'll tear it away.
Could have stayed and dreamt for days,
But the sight must be far worse than the taste.
And I'm waiting for something to get through to you.
And I'm waiting to burn compassion into you. and we're..
We don't even know if we're to blame for all of this,
We don't even know if we're in the clear, the clear.
We don't even know if we should bank on any of this
And we don't even know if we'll go,
So let's make this quick. I'll bother you, you'll tear it away.
This isn't happening, leave me with myself.
The lyrics of Dead Poetic's "Hostages" revolve around the themes of loss, longing, and uncertainty in relationships. The first verse talks about someone remembering ten frozen memories that seem to have been interrupted by some kind of distraction. It could be a person or an event that is hindering the memory. The singer expresses how much they would like to reminisce, but they are limited to remembering only this person at this moment. They wait, hoping for the person to reveal their true self to them.
The second verse features a shift in tone as the singer becomes slightly more assertive. They encourage the person to cut out broken enemies, and make quick decisions. The reference to non-valuable losses suggests that the person should realize which relationships are worth saving and which ones to let go of. The singer still waits for the person to show their compassionate side.
The chorus brings up themes of uncertainty and the inability to fully understand the situation. The phrase "we don't even know" is repeated three times, emphasizing the confusion. The person appears to be stuck and unable to make a decision. In the end, the singer suggests making it quick, indicating impatience with the situation.
Overall, "Hostages" is a heartfelt plea to someone who seems distant and guarded. The singer is determined to break through to them, but they are not sure if they will be successful.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten frozen memories lost into your pool of interrupted thought.
Several nostalgic moments are now forgotten and buried deep within your mind.
I could have reminisced for hours.
There were many beautiful memories worth relishing.
But right now you are all I get to remember.
Despite the memories, all that remains is the present moment shared with you.
I'm waiting for something to get through to you.
I hope to be able to connect with you on a deeper level.
I'm waiting to see a truer side of you, and we're...
I want to experience the genuine, authentic version of yourself alongside you.
Let's make this quick. I'll bother you, you'll tear it away.
We should hurry up and speak candidly because the truth may be painful.
Cut broken enemies off, into your pit of non-valuable losses.
We need to rid ourselves of all the negative influences and dead weight in our lives.
Could have stayed and dreamt for days,
We could have wasted time in a fantasy world.
But the sight must be far worse than the taste.
However, experiencing the reality of the situation is much more difficult.
And I'm waiting for something to get through to you.
I remain hopeful that we can break through emotional barriers and connect.
And I'm waiting to burn compassion into you. and we're...
I want to impart a sense of kindness and empathy into you as we continue to navigate challenging situations together.
We don't even know if we're to blame for all of this,
We aren't even sure if we are at fault for the problems we are facing.
We don't even know if we're in the clear, the clear.
The status of our situation is uncertain.
We don't even know if we should bank on any of this
It's difficult to know what to expect or rely upon in these circumstances.
And we don't even know if we'll go,
The future outcomes are unclear and not guaranteed.
So let's make this quick. I'll bother you, you'll tear it away.
In light of the uncertainty, we should hurry up and confront reality despite the pain it may cause.
This isn't happening, leave me with myself.
This situation is surreal and difficult to believe, and I need time to process it on my own.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
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