A debut album from London newcomers Dealing With Damage, albeit none new to the scene with its members having been in a multitude of previous acts, was a nice addition to the Über Rock inbox on a Sunday evening from one of the PR gurus we speak to regularly. With the first listen showing a mashing of the old school with the new, how would it fare against a few more listens and what else would come out? Time to find out!
Giving it its first spin, there is clearly a mix between good old fashioned punk with an edge of post-hardcore, but with that edge not overpowering in the mix. Tracks such as ‘Language Lesson’ sound like they owe as much to veterans such as Discharge as the likes of Rise Against, so the mash of sound is one that melds well together. There are plenty of hooks and a lot of righteous punk anger against the current state of society and things that the band see around them, typified in songs such as ‘Some Colours’ and ‘The American Empire’ – it’s not hard to guess what their lyrics are geared towards in these particular tracks!
Repeat listens through leave a similar impression to the first, though a few more of the nuances come out. While ‘No Money No Peace’ is definitely on the harder end of their sound, it contrasts against others such as ‘Some Colours’, where the focus is more on melody, hooky guitar than outright aggression or anger, to ‘The People I See’, which comes across more like an old school punk track, showing their different sides to the best of their abilities. In terms of ability, the band are obviously each adept at their own instruments, while the vocal harmonies in some tracks, providing support to the generally more in-your-face punk attitude of the main vocals makes for a refreshing approach at merging the styles, rather than some acts where it feels forced, rather than the more natural feel present here.
When it comes down to it, this is an album suitable for those with tastes across the punk market. Whether that’s the old school Clash or the likes, whether your taste is closer to the more modern punk or post-hardcore influenced side, there should be something for you to appreciate in this release. As debut albums go, it bodes very well for the future of the Dealing With Damage.
‘Ask The Questions’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
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