With the help of Mark Thompson of Tortuga and Hydra Head Records, The Hope Conspiracy headed to Godcity Studios in Norwood, Massachusetts to record their first demo in November 1999. It consisted of three songs ("Escapist", "Divinity Sickness", and "When the Doves Fly"). They produced 1000 copies of the tape, and managed to present 200 copies at their first show with black and white covers (which were quickly made on the way to the gig). Then they produced 800 more color copies of the demo cover based on a design by Aaron Turner. In early 2000, Turner brought up the idea of the demo cassette being put on CD and 7" vinyl, and the band accepted the invitation. The CD version contained one extra song, "It Meant Nothing". In both demos, the song "When the Doves Fly" was renamed to "Regret Kills". This demo is now out of print.
In July 2000, The Hope Conspiracy set out recording their debut full-length entitled Cold Blue on Equal Vision Records. The 10-song album was recorded in a week in both Godcity Studios and The Outpost in Stoughton, Massachusetts. It was released on October 23, 2000. In the next two years the band toured off of this album, contributed a cover of "Nervous Breakdown" to the Back on Black 7" Black Flag tribute on Initial Records, and released an EP called File 03 on Bridge 9 Records. File 03 was a rerelease of their original demo tracks plus two new tracks (one song of original material called "No Love Goes Unpunished" and a cover of Naked Raygun's "Treason"). The European version of "File 03" is available from Join the Team Player Records.
When it came time to record their second full-length, the band had gone through what they called "a long overdue lineup solidification." The album, entitled Endnote, was recorded during May and June 2002 in Brooklyn, New York's Atomic Studios. The 12-song album was produced by Dean Baltunosis and was released on October 17, 2002. In November 2002, Deathwish Records released a limited split 7" with The Suicide File with a song called "Failure", which was an outtake from earlier recording sessions.
The band went on a hiatus in 2004. In that time, Kevin Baker did vocals for Bars, while Jared Shavelson played drums for None More Black.
Their third album, Death Knows Your Name, was released on September 19, 2006 on Deathwish Records. The album has received favorable reviews. As a teaser, the record label released the Hang Your Cross EP in July 2006.
With high anticipation surrounding new material (recorded by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios) True Nihilist EP 7"" was released in 2009 on Deathwish Inc.
Kevin Baker - vocals
Neeraj Kane - guitar
Jonas Feinberg - bass
Jared Shavelson - drums
Jim Carroll - guitar (live appearances 2003–present; usually replaces Kane for live dates)
Deadman
The Hope Conspiracy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
back stabbed and being denied
treading through just to die
escape this cold and jaded life
isolate. led astray
can't talk can't think
loveless. gone
the deadman walks
forver falling apart
guilt heavy broken heart
no strength to lift away
the fear that always blackens me
The lyrics of "Deadman" by The Hope Conspiracy shed light on the despair and hopelessness of the singer. The song is an introspection on the internal struggles of someone who feels rejected and betrayed by those around him. The lines "rejected hostile eyes, backstabbed and being denied" show how the singer is being ostracized and rejected by the people he relied on. He feels like he's treading through life aimlessly, waiting for his inevitable demise. He wants to escape the cold, loveless life that he's living, but he can't find a way out of it.
The lyrics also touch on how the singer has become isolated and lonely, as he feels he's being led astray. He's so consumed by his inner demons that he's unable to communicate or think. The lines "no strength to lift away, the fear that always blackens me" show how he's paralyzed by his fear and guilt, and he feels like he has no way out. The chorus "the deadman walks, there's no way out" is a metaphor for how he feels trapped in his own misery and there's no escape from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Rejected hostile eyes
Being looked upon with anger and aggression by those who refuse to accept or value the individual
Back stabbed and being denied
Betrayed and rejected despite prior loyalty and dedication
Treading through just to die
Continuing to struggle and persevere despite an inevitable demise
Escape this cold and jaded life
Desiring to break free from a bleak and cynical existence
Isolate. Led astray
Feeling alone and directionless due to being misled or abandoned by others
Can't talk can't think
Finding it difficult to communicate or rationalize due to overwhelming emotions and experiences
Loveless. Gone
Having lost all affection and connection with others, left feeling empty and alone
The deadman walks
Existing in a state of emptiness and lifelessness, feeling like a mere shell of a person
There's no way out
Feeling trapped and helpless, unable to escape or change one's circumstances
Forever falling apart
Continuously deteriorating and losing oneself, without hope of recovery
Guilt heavy broken heart
Feeling remorse and regret for past actions, leading to a broken and troubled heart
No strength to lift away
Feeling powerless and unable to overcome the burdens and struggles of life
The fear that always blackens me
Feeling constantly consumed by fear and anxiety, unable to find peace or clarity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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