The band formed in 2000 as a five piece hardcore outfit dubbed Bound. When that band fell apart, bassist Nick Mclenighan and guitarists Terry Morrow and Greg Alltop reformed as a more melodic rock band (with Alltop becoming the band's drummer and Morrow assuming vocal duties). The group's sound shows the influence of bands such as Bad Religion, the Alkaline Trio and the Smoking Popes.
The band has been mentored by Dan Precision, a guitarist who played in popular punk acts 88 Fingers Louie, Rise Against and Break The Silence. The band made early recordings at Precision's Bombshelter studio in Chicago in 2002 and 2003, completing their first proper full length LP The Trials of Recession in February 2004. It was released on Double Zero Records, an outfit run by Mike Felumlee, former drummer of Chicago groups the Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio. The band signed with upstart label Punknews Records in 2005 and released their second full length Apocalypse In Increments on April 11, 2006.
Exorcism
Ryan's Hope Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would you ever believe that you're not really okay?
Ask yourself today
While you're telling lies just to make ends meet
By the end of the night you're barely on your feet
For what do you bleed?
Well this is where we stand
In a world of lies I feel I'm losing my mind
But would it happen to be the same trouble haunts your eyes?
Hold back one more night
And we'll hit the ground running with our heads raised high
And we'll sing of a dream in which we'd rather die
Than ever open our eyes
If I could just demand an open hand
Then I could stand until the end
And if this is where we stand
It's where we stand and this is where it ends
The wide-eyed bunch beneath you
While you let them love your false uncertain crime
We'll gather now against you
As we suffer for the life we long to know
We'll rid our hearts and minds of you
I'm dying just to meet you
So I can feel you leave my tormented insides
The force to exorcise you
Gives me hope and power to purify the night
This is where it ends.
The song "Exorcism" by Ryan's Hope seems to be a commentary on the struggles of life and the need to let go of negative influences. The lyrics speak of someone who is not doing well and is barely able to keep up the facade of being okay, and the need to ask oneself why they are bleeding. The chorus emphasizes the idea of standing firm in one's beliefs and not being swayed by the lies of the world. The second verse speaks of feeling like losing one's mind, and questioning if the person they are speaking to is feeling the same way. The idea of holding on one more night seems to signify the need for persistence and not giving up in the face of adversity.
The bridge of the song introduces the idea of demanding an open hand, which could be interpreted as asking for genuine help and support from others. The repetition of the phrase "this is where it ends" throughout the song emphasizes the need to let go of negative influences and move forward. The final verse speaks of the collective effort to rid oneself of the negative influence, with the use of the word "we" signifying the idea of solidarity in a shared struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
When you were walking away at the end of the day
Would you ever believe that you're not really okay?
As you leave work at the end of the day, do you really believe that everything is alright with you?
Ask yourself today
While you're telling lies just to make ends meet
By the end of the night you're barely on your feet
For what do you bleed?
In the midst of lying to fulfill obligations, when you're almost drained of energy, what drives you to keep going?
Well this is where we stand
It's where we stand and this is where it ends
This is the moment we take a stand and make our final move.
In a world of lies I feel I'm losing my mind
But would it happen to be the same trouble haunts your eyes?
Hold back one more night
Living in a deceitful world makes me feel crazy. Do you too share similar distress? Let's hold on a bit longer before we act.
And we'll hit the ground running with our heads raised high
And we'll sing of a dream in which we'd rather die
Than ever open our eyes
Once we decide to act, we'll do it with confidence and dignity. We'd rather die than succumb to an unfulfilling reality.
If I could just demand an open hand
Then I could stand until the end
And if this is where we stand
It's where we stand and this is where it ends
If only I could be given sufficient support, I'd endure the challenges until the end is reached. This is our ground, and we'll fight until we win.
The wide-eyed bunch beneath you
While you let them love your false uncertain crime
We'll gather now against you
You've been fooling unsuspecting people with your false ways of life. Now we'll stand together against you.
As we suffer for the life we long to know
We'll rid our hearts and minds of you
I'm dying just to meet you
So I can feel you leave my tormented insides
Despite the challenges we face to achieve the life we desire, we'll free ourselves from your (the oppressor's) hold. I'm yearning to confront you, so I can bid goodbye to the despair inside me.
The force to exorcise you
Gives me hope and power to purify the night
This is where it ends.
The strength to confront you gives me hope and the power to cleanse away darkness. This is where the ultimate battle concludes.
Contributed by Kennedy H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.