If Hope Dies

If Hope Dies came together in Pennsylvania, working through the kind of lineup changes and financial struggles that define a lot of small-town metal bands. Vocalist Dan O'Connor and guitarist Matt Megrue have been the consistent figures through it all. Their debut was 'The Wrath of Angels,' and they followed it with albums like 'Dissolution' and 'Desolation.'

Their music, with songs like 'A Prayer To Afflict The Comfortable' and 'Death Of a Salesman,' has drawn criticism for its direct, sometimes confrontational lyrics. The band has said the work is meant to reflect difficult realities rather than promote them. They've kept at it without becoming a mainstream fixture, which feels true to their roots.