bytheslice
02/12/10, 07:56 AM
The Hope Conspiracy - True Nihilist
Record Label: Deathwish Inc.
Release Date: July 7, 2009
It’s no wonder Hope Conspiracy decided to name their newest e.p. “True Nihilist”. They always seemed to bring a darker, more intense approach to hardcore than many of their peers: bands who either belted positive youth crew anthems straight outta ’88 or who copied Hatebreed’s sound and look with a religious fervor.
Last time we heard from Hope Con, they dropped 2006’s excellent “Death Knows Your Name”. Now it is 2010, and these Boston heavyweights continue plowing forward with their rock and roll infused hardcore, the kind that Entombed and Black Flag fans could equally enjoy. This e.p. starts with “In The Shadow Of God”, a scathing attack on the horrors of war and man’s inhumanity to his own species. The other two songs “Greed Taught, War Driven, Born To Die” & “The Dismal Tide” also share this raw, despondent outlook, while the music itself is just as crushing and relentless.
What has always made Hope Conspiracy a timeless band was the way they sung about their feelings of anger and disgust without being mired down in political rhetoric or meathead sloganeering. Don’t get me wrong, “True Nihilist” is definitely bludgeoning, and the lyrics are truly bleak and unsettling. This is not a band who wants to instill you with “it’s all gonna be ok” self-help drivel. But that’s exactly what makes Hope Con truly unforgettable; this is the kind of music that tells it like it is, and maybe by singing along, we can have the courage to face and eventually destroy our demons.
Record Label: Deathwish Inc.
Release Date: July 7, 2009
It’s no wonder Hope Conspiracy decided to name their newest e.p. “True Nihilist”. They always seemed to bring a darker, more intense approach to hardcore than many of their peers: bands who either belted positive youth crew anthems straight outta ’88 or who copied Hatebreed’s sound and look with a religious fervor.
Last time we heard from Hope Con, they dropped 2006’s excellent “Death Knows Your Name”. Now it is 2010, and these Boston heavyweights continue plowing forward with their rock and roll infused hardcore, the kind that Entombed and Black Flag fans could equally enjoy. This e.p. starts with “In The Shadow Of God”, a scathing attack on the horrors of war and man’s inhumanity to his own species. The other two songs “Greed Taught, War Driven, Born To Die” & “The Dismal Tide” also share this raw, despondent outlook, while the music itself is just as crushing and relentless.
What has always made Hope Conspiracy a timeless band was the way they sung about their feelings of anger and disgust without being mired down in political rhetoric or meathead sloganeering. Don’t get me wrong, “True Nihilist” is definitely bludgeoning, and the lyrics are truly bleak and unsettling. This is not a band who wants to instill you with “it’s all gonna be ok” self-help drivel. But that’s exactly what makes Hope Con truly unforgettable; this is the kind of music that tells it like it is, and maybe by singing along, we can have the courage to face and eventually destroy our demons.