After forming in the summer of 1998, If Hope Dies quickly came into their own as young dedicated musicians. Hailing from Auburn, New York (also hometown to Heavy Metal Gods Manowar) If Hope Dies showed upstate New York that you can mix metal with hardcore.
In the years since their formation, IHD has progressed into a leader in the genre of metal based hardcore. A 2002 release on Diehard Records entitled 'Siege Equipment for Spiritual Decline' has sold over 1200 copies to date with only regional touring. The release solidified the band as a metalcore force to be dealt with.
(Photo courtesy of Returntothepit.com)
IHD also takes pride in the energetic and heartfelt approach to their live performance. If Hope Dies has brought their music and show to the big stage numerous times as they have performed with bands such as In Flames, Lamb Of God, Soilwork and many more. They also earned their way onto Syracuse NY’s Hellfest 2001, 2002 and 2003 with some of the industries finest.
'The Ground is Rushing Up Top Meet Us' is the second latest release for If Hope Dies. They have a new label, Ironclad recordings, and a new commitment to tour full time.
The new record put out this year, is called “Life in Ruin”, and contains 11 hardcore, straight-to-your-face songs. This might be their big break, and hopefully it will be, ‘cause this is some of the best metalcore ever to have been released!
The band broke up and have done a few reunion shows for fun and for benefits for friends.
So on that note, IHD was:
So, I got into these guys during their reign of "Ground Is Rushing Up To Meet Us" and their hit single "Roddy Piper's Magic Sunglasses":
Ground Is Rushing Up To Meet Us - (Released November 2, 2004)
1. Shop Till You Drop
2. Roddy Piper's Magic Sunglasses
3. So It Goes
4. The Hungry Ghost
5. A Prayer To Afflict The Comfortable
6. The Taker Thunderbolt
7. Cursus Honororum
8. Sugar, Free Donuts
9. Let Freedom Ring (From The Taco Liberty Bell)
10. Who Died And Made Us King?
Great new sound I was diving into at the time and basically was an early introduction to metalcore and the now over saturated breakdown. Never the less, the guys made a great album, got an ink deal to Ironclad/Metalbalde Records. The lyrics are in your face, straight to the point material and the sound is equal. Album artwork is also quite interesting between "GIRUTMU" and their last album "Life In Ruin". I thought that the album artwork for "Life In Ruin" was just the right touch for the labels they were on (haha).
Life In Ruin - (Released on Jan. 1, 2006)
1. Burned Out
2. Anthem For The Unemployable
3. Dead Reckoning
4. Time Is Not On Our Side
5. Fear Will Keep Them In Line
6. Water Into Wine Cooler
7. The Ultimate Nullifier
8. Marked For Death
9. Some Skynyrd
10. Nuked From Orbit
11. Life In Ruin
The music video for their single ("Anthem For The Unemployable") cracks me up, kind of like a metal head version of Office Space. Anyone that works a 9-5 cubical job care to comment? Anyone actually feel like ever doing this while your siting there during the day and are bored out of your skull? Did you attach that cover sheet to your TPS report? haha
Anyways, not much to tell about these guys others than the fact they made some great music in their short time span. Ultimately, I'd love to see these guys toss out another album and do a tour. With the plethora of bands emerging out of this genre, I still like to think these guy would stick out and create quite a larger fan base.
That being said, check out some of the official links that are still in circulation. Drop some comments (I'm sure someone from the band still checks them from time to time) and hopefully with enough encouragement we can see them make their comeback.
- www.last.fm/music/If+Hope+Dies
- www.purevolume.com/ifhopedies
- www.myspace.com/ifhopedies
Purchase a copy of their albums and leftover merch:
- Amazon
- Merch Now
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