Broken Hope
American death metal band
title: "Broken Hope" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-death-metal-musical-groups", "american-musical-quintets", "heavy-metal-musical-groups-from-illinois", "musical-groups-from-chicago", "musical-groups-established-in-1988", "musical-groups-disestablished-in-2001", "metal-blade-records-artists"] description: "American death metal band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Hope" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American death metal band ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Broken Hope |
| origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| genre | Death metal |
| years_active | 1988–2001, 2012–present |
| label | Metal Blade, Century Media |
| website | |
| current_members | Jeremy Wagner |
| Damian LeskiMike 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 | |
| :: |
| name = Broken Hope | image = | caption = | alias = | origin = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | genre = Death metal | years_active = 1988–2001, 2012–present | label = Metal Blade, Century Media | website = | current_members = Jeremy Wagner Damian LeskiMike 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. AllMusic reviewer John Book compared Swamped in Gore to Death's 1987 debut album Scream Bloody Gore.
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, | 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, | 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. |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
On January 20, 2010, vocalist Joe Ptacek committed suicide. 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.
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
ImageSize =width:800 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea =left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:10 Alignbars =justify DateFormat =mm/dd/yyyy Period =from:01/01/1988 till: ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1988 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1988 TimeAxis =orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend =orientation:horizontal position:bottom
Colors= id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_Vocals id:lead value:teal legend:Lead_Guitar id:rhythm value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:studio value:black legend:Studio_Album
LineData= at:11/20/1991 color:black layer:back at:11/27/1993 color:black layer:back at:04/17/1995 color:black layer:back at:01/27/1997 color:black layer:back at:10/05/1999 color:black layer:back at:09/27/2013 color:black layer:back at:06/23/2017 color:black layer:back
BarData= bar:Joe text:"Joe Ptacek" 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"
PlotData = width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Joe from:start till:04/01/2001 color:vocals bar:Damian from:04/01/2012 till:end color:vocals bar:Dave from:start till:12/31/1990 color:lead bar:Brian from:01/01/1991 till:04/01/2001 color:lead bar:Chuck from:04/01/2012 till:04/01/2014 color:lead bar:Matt from:04/01/2014 till:end color:lead bar:Jeremy from:start till:04/01/2001 color:rhythm bar:Jeremy from:04/01/2012 till:end color:rhythm bar:Ed from:start till:08/01/1994 color:bass bar:Shaun from:08/01/1994 till:12/31/1998 color:bass 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 bar:Duane from:05/01/1997 till:12/31/1998 color:drums bar:Sean from:01/01/1999 till:04/01/2001 color:drums bar:Mike2 from:04/01/2012 till:end color:drums
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)
References
References
- Ankeny, Jason. "Broken Hope - Biography". [[Allmusic]] ([[Macrovision Corporation]]).
- Book, John. "Swamped in Gore - Overview". [[Allmusic]] ([[Macrovision Corporation]]).
- Pratt, Greg. (January 22, 2010). "Broken Hope Vocalist Joe Ptacek Dead at 37". Exclaim.ca.
- "Former Broken Hope Vocalist Commits Suicide - in Metal News". Metal Underground.com.
- Doc Rock. "January to June 2015". The Dead Rock Stars Club.
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