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.
In Coma
Dead Poetic Lyrics
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Weaving in and out slowly
I grow accustomed to the piercing flesh
And find evil in the holy
And still I see the line
Between the stars, your scars and mine
And as this coarse thread pulls
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
A bad decision leaves me open and
I'm left here shuttered for days
If I could replay the words we said
I?d see you all amazed
And still it?s not enough
Save yourself and demonize us
And as your curtain draws
They see the tears of the fallen
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
We have left
I'm not taking the fall for a spineless puppet
You play quiet and I won't fight it
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
Stay in coma
It?s the only defense we have left
We have left
The song "In Coma" by Dead Poetic is a powerful and emotional exploration of the aftermath of a bad experience or relationship. The lyrics are about the pain of being hurt and trying to move on, even when it feels like there is no escape. The first verse talks about the wounds left behind by someone else's actions and the difficulty of finding resolution. The singer talks about becoming numb to the pain and seeing the damage that has been done. The second verse takes a more introspective turn, with the singer examining their own role in the situation. The chorus is a plea to stay in a protective "coma," where the pain can't reach them. The last few lines of the song are a defiant rejection of blame and an assertion of personal strength, even in the face of hurt and betrayal.
The song has a haunting and eerie quality, with a slow and somber melody that underscores the deep emotions of the lyrics. The use of repetition in the chorus gives the song a sense of urgency, as if the singer is desperately trying to hold on to their last shreds of sanity. Overall, "In Coma" is a powerful and deeply affecting song that speaks to anyone who has ever felt hurt or lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still stitching up the stabs you left
I am still healing from the wounds you caused
Weaving in and out slowly
The recovery process is slow and gradual
I grow accustomed to the piercing flesh
I become more tolerant of the pain with time
And find evil in the holy
I start to see bad things in the things I once considered good
And still I see the line
I can still see the boundary between us despite the pain
Between the stars, your scars and mine
There is a distinction between what you have suffered and I have suffered
And as this coarse thread pulls
As time passes, the healing process is rough and painful
I feel the veins of the frozen
I feel numb and unable to fully heal
Stay in coma
Avoid dealing with the pain
It’s the only defense we have left
Avoiding the pain is the only thing we can do to feel safe
A bad decision leaves me open and
Mistakes leave me vulnerable
I'm left here shuttered for days
I am left in isolation for days
If I could replay the words we said
If I could go back in time and correct our mistakes
I’d see you all amazed
I could prevent the pain that we are going through now
And still it’s not enough
Even if we could go back and change things, it may not be enough to heal our wounds
Save yourself and demonize us
Blaming us and portraying us as evil will only make you feel better temporarily
And as your curtain draws
As things come to an end for you
They see the tears of the fallen
People can see the emotional toll these experiences have taken on us
I'm not taking the fall for a spineless puppet
I will not be a scapegoat for someone who is weak and easily controlled
You play quiet and I won't fight it
I won't argue with someone who is not willing to speak up
We have left
This is all we have left
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Martin Briley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind