By Monk
Dead Reynolds are another of the new breed of up-and-coming artists not afraid to fuck with the pre-conceived generic formulae, in this case mixing and moulding stadium-style alt-rock sensibilities with snotty-nosed pop punk melodies, all the while taking unexpected off-road forays into territories such as those inhabited by EDM-infused industrialism, nu-metalcore and even infusing elements of gothic noir into a heady journey through multiple intertwining yet surprisingly complementary miens.
They waste no time in taking things off the edge of the map right from the off with the appropriately titled lead single ‘Hurricane’ which starts off with an Enter Shikari/Electric Callboy techno-metal vibe before transitioning into a more traditional alt-rock vibe, with a hugely hooky chorus and beautifully blended harmonic, yet retaining the electro vibe which continues to permeate the EP’s infectious grooves.
Having said that, ‘Fly Away’ is more a traditional emocore mnemonic, very reminiscent of 30STM or MCR in its inane memorability, with a huge chorus and descending breakdown that possesses a rich vibrancy guaranteed to be a ‘banging highlight of their live sets.
The same can be said of the title track, itself just released as a single, which adds a brief Linkin Park-style rap into the mix of its otherwise radio-friendly alt-rock groove, demonstrating the band’s ability to integrate different subtleties of sonic dynamic into their overall vibe,
Overall, ‘Animal’ is a competently fresh and enervating collection, showcasing a band not afraid to push the boundaries but also cognizant of the importance of remaining within same, of how to push the envelope before it falls off the table and into the waiting rubbish bin beneath. I enjoyed listening to this, and hopefully many more will feel likewise…
- ‘Animal‘ is released on Wednesday (13 March).
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