Saturday 5 November 2016

The Dead At Sea - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: November 01st 2016. Label: Self Release. Format: CD/DD

The Dead At Sea – S/T – Tracklisting

1.The SS CORVUS 07:19
2.9 KNOTS 07:13
3.CONVOY HN25 09:35
4.DROP ANCHOR 14:24

Band Members:

Chris Srivens
Pete Jones
Bruce Goodenough

Review:

The Dead At Sea is a fairly new band from the UK, comprising members of Mothertrucker and Opium Lord. Two other great bands you should check out if you haven't already done so. Anyway, back to The Dead At Sea.

The Dead At Sea play a style of instrumental progressive stoner rock/metal. Parts Karma To Burn, Pelican and Russian Circles but with a more experimental based sound. It's quite an original sound that the band have as they add a subtle distorted tone to their music.

Opening track – The SS Corvus – has a very raw sound to begin with but it soon becomes more clearer when the heavy riffs appear. The band make subtle use of the change in rhythms as the song progresses to it's natural conclusion. The guitars are played loud from the very start with the drumming adding a doom based vibe. The sludgy post-rock grooves are handled superbly well especially when added with the psychedelic stoner riffs.

I forgot to mention that the album is a concept album of some sorts. The description below will give more info:

SS Corvus was a 1,317 GRT[2] Norwegian steamship built in Copenhagen in which was attacked and sunk by two German U-boats in the English channel 1945”

This explains why the album has a major nautical theme running throughout especially on the second track – 9 Knots.

9 Knots is the more emotionally involved song on the album as it's a slow-paced song with the band opting for a more restrained doom vibe. The Dead At Sea feel they were influenced by The Fall Of Efrafa on this song.

Third track – Convoy HN25 – carries on the experimental Doom/Stoner Metal sound but played at a faster pace. This song gives you the feeling that your facing immortal danger as the riffs have quite an exciting stop-start approach to them. The song changes into a more sullen post-rock affair around the 4 minute mark but the band soon return to their heavier psychedelic roots. The final part of the song can only be described as WOW. A stunning mix of Psych, Doom and Stoner riffs that bring back memories of early-Pelican style post-metal.

The final song – Drop Anchor – is almost 15 minutes long and is perhaps the song I have the most issues with. The band try to many different ideas. Some come off well whilst others sound distinctively flat. It's a very good song but it would have been better if the song was cut short by 5 to 6 minutes or so. Though the guys include a ton of heavy riffs to keep you entertained.

If you're looking for something different to listen to then I recommend you listen to The Dead At Sea's debut album. It's an album that demands your full attention. Check this out. You won't be sorry.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp