Broken Hope
{{Short description|American death metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Broken Hope
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = Chicago, Illinois, United States
| genre = Death metal
| years_active = 1988–2001, 2012–present
| label = Metal Blade, Century Media
| associated_acts =
| website = [http://www.brokenhope.com/ www.brokenhope.com]
| current_members = Jeremy Wagner
Damian Leski
Mike Miczek
Matt Szlachta
Diego Soria
| past_members = Joe Ptacek
Brian Griffin
Ryan Stanek
Shaun Glass
Dave Duff
Ed Hughes
Sean Baxter
Duane Timlin
Chuck Wepfer
}}
Broken Hope is an American death metal band from Chicago, Illinois.
History
Broken Hope was founded in 1988. They were known as an accomplished mid-paced style death metal band with low-pitched growling vocals. As a band, they were active for roughly twelve years, recording five albums between 1991 and 1999.
The early lineup of Broken Hope was Joe Ptacek (vocals), Jeremy Wagner (rhythm guitar), Brian Griffin (lead guitar), and Ryan Stanek (drums). They scored a deal with the then-fledgling Grindcore/RedLight Label and recorded their debut album, Swamped in Gore.{{cite web| last = Ankeny| first = Jason| url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p12460|pure_url=yes}}| title = Broken Hope - Biography| publisher = Allmusic (Macrovision Corporation)| access-date = November 27, 2009}}
AllMusic reviewer John Book compared Swamped in Gore to Death's 1987 debut album Scream Bloody Gore.{{cite web| last = Book| first = John| url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/swamped-in-gore-mw0000104366| title = Swamped in Gore - Overview| publisher = Allmusic (Macrovision Corporation)| access-date = October 4, 2019}}
Following the release of Swamped in Gore, Metal Blade Records signed the band, who released their second album, The Bowels of Repugnance, in 1993. The band's third album, 1995's Repulsive Conception, reached CMJ New Music Monthly's Metal Top 25 chart,
{{cite journal
| date = August 1995
| title = Metal Top 25
| journal = CMJ New Music Monthly
| publisher = College Media, Inc.
| volume =
| issue = 24
| page = 46
| issn = 1074-6978
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5iwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT45
| access-date = November 27, 2009}}
as did the follow-up, 1997's Loathing,
{{cite journal
| date = May 1997
| title = Metal Top 25
| journal = CMJ New Music Monthly
| publisher = College Media, Inc.
| volume =
| issue = 45
| page = 48
| issn = 1074-6978
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MC0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48
| access-date = November 27, 2009}}
an album which explored topics such as political domination, necrophilia, and safe sex.{{cite news
| title = Broken Hope Grinds onto Scene; Grip Inc. Returns
| last = Iwasald
| first = Scott
| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=98ERAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5308,513622&dq=broken-hope+band&hl=en
| newspaper = Deseret News
| publisher = Deseret News Publishing Company
| date = April 2, 1997
| page = C5
| access-date = November 27, 2009
}}
The band moved to newly formed indie Martyr Records for their fifth album, Grotesque Blessings, released in 1999. Rumors of the band's demise circulated at this time, this also marks the last album Joe Ptacek was on{{cite magazine
| date = February 2000
| last = Stewart-Panko
| first = Kevin
| url = http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=1&csid2=846&fid1=7187
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130115092926/http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=1&csid2=846&fid1=7187
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = January 15, 2013
| title = Aggressive Tendencies
| magazine = Exclaim!
| access-date = November 27, 2009
}}
and in April 2002, it was reported by Jeremy Wagner that after the state of Broken Hope had been limbo for about a year, they had disbanded.
{{cite news
|date = April 2, 2002
|url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=2496
|title = Broken Hope's Jeremy Wagner: Where It All Went Wrong
|work = Blabbermouth.net
|access-date = November 27, 2009
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040114034432/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=2496
|archive-date = January 14, 2004
}}
In a 2007 interview, Wagner explained that several factors, including band dysfunction and a lack of support in Europe from Metal Blade, contributed to the split.{{cite news
|date = July 13, 2007
|url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76711
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130201125236/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=76711
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = February 1, 2013
|title = Broken Hope to Reunite?
|work = Blabbermouth.net
|access-date = November 27, 2009
}} Wagner added that the band members had met "face to face" for the first time in five years and discussed a possible reunion.
On January 20, 2010, vocalist Joe Ptacek committed suicide.{{cite web |last=Pratt |first=Greg |url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=139&csid2=844&fid1=43827 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115121624/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=139&csid2=844&fid1=43827 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |title=Broken Hope Vocalist Joe Ptacek Dead at 37 |publisher=Exclaim.ca |date=January 22, 2010 |access-date=March 7, 2015 }}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=52298 |title=Former Broken Hope Vocalist Commits Suicide - in Metal News |publisher=Metal Underground.com |date= |access-date=March 7, 2015}} He was 37 years old.
The band reunited in 2012 with returning members Shaun Glass and Jeremy Wagner, and new members Mike Miczek and Damian Leski, playing a North American tour with Obituary, Decrepit Birth, Jungle Rot, and Encrust.
Omen of Disease was released September 27, 2013 via Century Media Records.
Former band drummer, Ryan Stanek, died in Wisconsin on March 1, 2015 from a heart attack. He was 42 years old.{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2015.html |title=January to June 2015 |publisher=The Dead Rock Stars Club |date= |access-date=March 7, 2015}}
Broken Hope's seventh album titled Mutilated and Assimilated was released on June 23, 2017.
Band members
=Current members=
- Jeremy Wagner – rhythm guitar (1988–2001, 2012–present)
- Damian Leski – vocals (2012–present)
- Mike Miczek – drums (2012–present)
- Matt Szlachta – lead guitar (2014–present)
- Diego Soria – bass (2014–present)
=Former members=
- Joe Ptacek – vocals (1988–2001; died 2010)
- Ryan Stanek – drums (1988–1997; died 2015)
- Ed Hughes – bass (1988–1994)
- Dave Duff – lead guitar (1988–1990)
- Brian Griffin – lead guitar (1991–2001)
- Shaun Glass – bass (1995–1998, 2012–2014)
- Duane Timlin – drums (1997–1998)
- Brian Hobbie – bass (1999–2001)
- Sean Baxter – drums (1999–2001)
- Chuck Wepfer – lead guitar (2012–2014)
=Session members=
- Ryan Schimmenti – bass (1999)
- Mike Zwicke – bass (1999)
- Larry DeMumbrum – drums (1999)
Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
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id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_Vocals
id:lead value:teal legend:Lead_Guitar
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id:studio value:black legend:Studio_Album
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at:09/27/2013 color:black layer:back
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bar:Damian text:"Damian Leski"
bar:Dave text:"Dave Duff"
bar:Brian text:"Brian Griffin"
bar:Chuck text:"Chuck Wepfer"
bar:Matt text:"Matt Szlachta"
bar:Jeremy text:"Jeremy Wagner"
bar:Ed text:"Ed Hughes"
bar:Shaun text:"Shaun Glass"
bar:Brian2 text:"Brian Hobbie"
bar:Diego text:"Diego Soria"
bar:Ryan2 text:"Ryan Stanek"
bar:Duane text:"Duane Timlin"
bar:Sean text:"Sean Baxter"
bar:Mike2 text:"Mike Miczek"
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bar:Brian from:01/01/1991 till:04/01/2001 color:lead
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bar:Matt from:04/01/2014 till:end color:lead
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bar:Shaun from:04/01/2012 till:04/01/2014 color:bass
bar:Brian2 from:01/01/1999 till:04/01/2001 color:bass
bar:Diego from:04/01/2014 till:end color:bass
bar:Ryan2 from:start till:05/01/1997 color:drums
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Discography
=Albums=
- Swamped in Gore (1991)
- The Bowels of Repugnance (1993)
- Repulsive Conception (1995)
- Loathing (1997)
- Grotesque Blessings (1999)
- Omen of Disease (2013)
- Mutilated and Assimilated (2017)
=EPs=
- Hobo Stew (1993)
=Other releases=
- Live Disease (2015)
=Demos=
- Broken Hope (1990)
- Demo 2 (1990)
- ''Demo '93 (1993)