The new album by GET DEAD joins the already long list of releases from Fat Wreck Chords that have seen the light of day this year. It almost seems as if this terrible virus has made bands and producers even more active.
GET DEAD is releasing their fifth album, “Dancing with the Curse.”
The band from California (Where else would they come from, one might ask, being a Fat Wreck band) has worked on the album for more than two years.
The Californians have tried their hand at many styles in the past. Sometimes it has gone well, and sometimes very well. The guys have always done what they felt like doing. This is also evident on this album “Dancing with the Curse,” which you can tell from the first listen. The songs are produced in a way that they want to be heard. They demand attention, they burrow into the ear canal, they want to be actively listened to.
GET DEAD serves up a great mix of styles this time. You can hear the roots of punk rock, of course, from the Californian school. Alongside that, there’s hardcore and hip hop, crossover, skate-punk, and even metal at times.
All the songs have one thing in common. They combine many styles and are intricately arranged. Added to this is the rough voice of singer Sam King. This gives each song its own unique touch. With this voice, you believe everything Sam King sings. And what he sings is relevant. Songs like “Pepperspray” or “Confrontation” could hardly be more timely.
It is always fascinating how songs that a band wrote half a year ago or even longer have such relevance today. It’s almost as if the band could see into the future. That’s pretty intense.
Alongside the current situation (in the USA), a lot of personal experiences are also processed. Thoughts about life, of course the big thoughts, but also songs that came from dark feelings and times. These songs resonate, you can empathize, you understand what is being sung. It doesn’t sound forced or contrived, but genuine.
It’s an album that has many prerequisites to be well-received, and overall it is. The only thing that stands out not just on the first listen is that the songs give the impression that the band wants to pack as much variety as possible into each individual song. As a result, some songs feel overloaded. The fast pace sometimes reinforces this impression, as it comes across as if the band has to rush on. That’s not a major downside, but here and there, less would have been more.
Nevertheless, you should definitely give the new album by GET DEAD a try.
It’s an album for today’s times.
It’s an album that comes from the heart.
A real album in a plastic world!
