The Hope Conspiracy
Endnote
6.9
Ahhh hardcore, the music where emotions run rampant, and the moral values of its performers hold high; well, for the most part anyway. The Hope Conspiracy is a hardcore band that is no different, hailing from Boston; this band is full of fury and ready to strike on any unsuspecting victims. Although the hardcore scene seems to be seemingly making its way into the mainstream and becoming watered down like so many bands in the punk scene out there, this band keeps it real with their full-on aggression. The music has a pretty hardcore feel to it, with a little punk thrown in for good measure. The guitars go from pulse-pounding to a slower melodic pace throughout the album, but never let down. The vokills are heartfelt, and Kevin Baker makes his presence known. They follow a higher pitched yelling feel, being belted out with angst. One thing I noticed with this band is they never really have any breakdowns, yet the music still would get me going in the pit if I saw them live. This is the first hardcore I've heard with instrumentals, this is something you don't often see in hardcore which gives this outing a uniqueness to it. Hardcore has always had enjoyable lyrics in my opinion. They're down to earth, and real to the bitter end. Whether it be dealing with political issues or past relationships, they ring with emotion. Thankfully The Hope Conspiracy is no different. The production is just icing on the cake, fitting the album quite nicely. Overall, The Hope Conspiracy's sophomore release, Endnote, gave me an enjoyable listening experience. My only real complaint with the album is that it is so short. The entire album only clocks in at around 27 minutes. Do you get a lot of music for your buck? No. Do you get a pretty good band for your buck? Yes. My suggestion: check out a couple songs first to decide if it's worth spending that $13 on such a short album.
