AlbumsNovember 29, 201120,179 views

The Hope Conspiracy Death Knows Your Name


Death Knows Your Name
01. They Know Not... 02. Deadtown Nothing 03. A Darkness In The Light 04. Animal Farm 05. Curse Of The Oil Snakes 06. Hang Your Cross 07. Suicide Design 08. Leech Bloody Leech 09. So Many Pigs So Few Bullets 10. Sadistic Sacred Whore 11. Stolen Days
2006 Deathwish Inc.
Our score 8

by Cory
12/10/2006

When the Hope Conspiracy released Cold Blue in 2000, they were at the forefront of the huge wave of quality Boston bands that dominated hardcore for years. Alongside American Nightmare and the Suicide File, (both of which shared members with Hope Con) they are one of the few that seem to have left a noteworthy mark and in 2006 they've returned (sort of) to further their musical legacy. While the group's recording and touring situation isn't quite normal due to the members' locations and responsibilities, Death Knows Your Name is, in most ways, a logical follow-up to Endnote and another strong platter of hardcore with a strong punk rock edge. For fans that spent four years wondering if the band would ever release another album, this is definitely the record you've been waiting for. What's nice about the Hope Conspiracy is that they haven't gotten rusty in their time off and they also haven't lost their identity. These guys are all consummate professionals that have dedicated their lives to making music and when they get together, hardcore magic happens. While the band's other members were keeping their talents sharp with their other projects, Kevin Baker seems to have spent the last four years channeling his rage into the lyrics, which are definitely among the angriest hardcore lyrics I've come across in a few years. Much like the Suicide File's Dave Weinberg, Baker rails against any and every institution, religion or industry with a combination of intelligence, cynicism and fury. In addition to being a great record, Death Knows Your Name is yet another testament to the continuing strength of the hardcore community that spawned the Hope Conspiracy. It was produced by Kurt Ballou and released by Tre McCarthy and Jake Bannon's Deathwish Inc. label, and features guest vocals from Nate Newton (Converge, Doomriders, Old Man Gloom) and Dwid "Hellion" (Integrity) and guitar solos by touring member Jim Carroll of the Suicide File. There's just a definite sense that this record is a genuine labor of love that couldn't have existed without the support of over a dozen individuals. As hardcore continues to age, (in some cases, quite poorly) it's just refreshing to see people that still adhere to its values despite the evolution of the music itself. Bottom Line: As a Hope Conspiracy fan, I've been excited about this record since I first heard about it and I wasn't disappointed. It didn't have the immediate impact on me that Cold Blue did and it will probably take years of listening before it ranks near the band's other two records for me, but it's excellent nevertheless. Death Knows Your Name is a great hardcore record, definitely one of the best released this year.

29 comments

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anonymous 11/8/2006 10:49:47 PM

first post. i had a boner for a week when i listened to this album. someone review it. and not gluck

chris_ 11/18/2006 3:25:07 AM

opening track rocked my face. love this album

webmaster_ 12/10/2006 10:51:14 AM

Yes, we're late on this one. It's my fault... the review was actually submitted in October. Sorry.

Alexander_ 12/10/2006 10:57:40 AM

Review Ceremony.

Nick_ 12/10/2006 10:59:17 AM

great cd

justinbean_ 12/10/2006 11:56:41 AM

what decides whether or not there is an mp3 provided at the end of the review? i would like to hear this.

Sean_ 12/10/2006 1:03:55 PM

It's Cold Blue, not Code Blue retard

brian_ 12/10/2006 2:10:38 PM

code blue was probably just a type since he referred to it as "cold blue" earlier in the review, which is irrelevant, because this cd f*cking rips. love everything this band has ever done. good review.

blah_ 12/10/2006 2:14:18 PM

This album f*cking rocks my socks off. Badass as all hell.

littlemac_ 12/10/2006 2:53:32 PM

cold blue is one of the most overrated hardcore records ever. this and endnote are classics. this band owns.

TheWood_ 12/10/2006 6:28:28 PM

One of the best of 2006. The solo on "Animal Farm" killer.

xomertax_ 12/10/2006 7:44:44 PM

Awesome album. Probably the best hardcore album released in 2006

Mike_ 12/10/2006 10:56:04 PM

This and Endnote sound like weak AN/GUTG songs. So generic it's not funny. But hey, these days, what's generic is what's hot! For fans of 90's hardcore, the demo and Cold Blue had it going on. The Harvest guy wrote most of that stuff. This new stuff is for the old school revivalists and I'm not into it at all.

heart_means_everything_ 12/11/2006 2:38:26 AM

hey mike, you're a f*cking moron. this and endnote sound like weak give up the ghost? have you f*cking heard either them or this record/endnote? everyone's allowed to have their own opinion, but even that was too dumb to be allowed on lambgoat.

truthsayer_ 12/11/2006 3:04:20 AM

Excellent f*cking record. Glad to finally see this review.

ozzzie_ 12/11/2006 11:50:22 AM

Why do the drums sound like they are in a shoe box? In fact, everything that comes out of God City sounds like a shoe box, yet these Zines give them good reviews. Maybe its Death Wish spending money on advertizing and some very stupid kids buy into it.

Brian_ 12/11/2006 4:49:20 PM

^^^^^^^f*cking idiot who does not deserve the ability to think because he obviously does not use it properly.

Mike_ 12/11/2006 11:51:41 PM

Hey heart_means_everything, did you know that the guy who wrote AN/GUTG's stuff has been writing Hope Con's stuff since Endnote? Seriously, kill yourself NOW.

vdburns_ 12/12/2006 11:34:46 AM

everyone's allowed to have their own opinion, but even that was too dumb to be allowed on lambgoat. posted by heart_means_everything () on 12/11/2006 2:38:26 AM That's funny, I thought stricty morons posted on this site. This record is straight fire.

iambetterthanyou_ 12/12/2006 6:53:07 PM

Best hardcore related release of the year.

littlemac_ 12/13/2006 7:20:20 PM

so because you have this knowledge of who writes the songs mike, you think it should be this logical deduction for every listener that they sound like AN/GUTG songs? i stand by heart, that is one of the stupidest things i've ever read, these songs do not sound like GUTG songs, and cold blue was their worst release. wtf are you talking about "this is for revivalists"...apparently you can only listen to stuff if you approve of the songwriters former, more credible bands. f*ck off.

Jeff_ 12/15/2006 5:45:37 PM

This review is total shit, it reads like it was written by a 15 year old. He never says what makes the album great to him or explains in what way it is a logical follow-up to endnote. This album sucks and its pretty obvious if you have ever heard there other albums.

hater_ 12/16/2006 9:05:52 AM

"it's just refreshing to see people that still adhere to its values despite the evolution of the music itself." LOL

heart_means_everything_ 12/16/2006 3:43:25 PM

This album sucks and its pretty obvious if you have ever heard there other albums. posted by Jeff () on 12/15/2006 5:45:37 PM shut the f*ck up and go back to postin on the bridge 9 board you f*ck.

Benjamin_ 12/18/2006 5:41:09 PM

I happen to post on the b9 message board... it definitely is better than Lambgoat.

Bob Hope_ 12/22/2006 10:41:28 AM

Benjamin, too bad the real world won't accept you.

gay_ 1/3/2007 5:32:39 AM

these guys suck, and so do all the people who just commented on how great of a band they are.

anonymous 5/26/2007 12:46:04 PM

^^^ your a gay, learn to realize when you should and shouldn't post something, The Hope Conspiracy is an amazing band.

bill_ 4/5/2010 4:58:32 AM

endnote was better......