The Hope Conspiracy is a rare thing in hardcore: a band that has lasted through years and multiple releases, but also has managed to stay relevant with only subtle changes in style. After being a big name in the early `00s hardcore scene, they took a rumor-filled hiatus through the mid-`00s and returned with their solid reformation 2006 full-length, Death Knows Your Name. With members spread throughout the country and only playing a handful of shows a year, the band manages to stay somewhat active with this new 7” EP.

True Nihilist very much follows the path the band took on Death Knows Your Name. Big droning riffs barrel along as Kevin Baker lays out his disgusted-with-the-world lyrics and delivery. The band continues their experimentation with building tension and even throws in some faster moments in opening song “In the Shadows of God.”

Musically, Hope Con’s secret weapon is simplicity. Most riffs are just a few notes and the band isn’t afraid to stay on just one chord for a long time; however, when a band is this cohesive in approach and execution, these otherwise simple riffs become mammoth pummeling displays of power.

“Greed Taught, War Driven,” features a high-energy rock 'n' roll riff that heads into the hooky lyric “the birth of man was the birth of hell” into a huge and heavy riff. In short, it’s exactly what you expect from this band: pissed, heavy and to the point. The last song, “The Dismal Tide” features a slow and epic closing underneath Baker’s pessimistic lines, “The dismal tide; dark days are here.”

Even without playing many shows, Hope Con is still firing on all cylinders and this EP is sure to please fans of any of their prior releases and newcomers alike.