With nearly 30 years of DIY experience under their belts, Dropdead aren’t arsed what you want to define them as. Powerviolence crossovers, thrashcore, grindcore, they’re all just labels that other people apply but this Rhode Island band know exactly who they are and its no more complicated than hardcore punk legends. After all, their first live, in 1991, was alongside none other than the likes of Rorschach and Born Against.
This is only their third album, and it’s been 22 years since their last, so there’s an undercurrent of desperation for its arrival. Advertised as ’23 songs in 24 minutes’, it’s easy to get swept up in the idea that we are going to experience the most blistering, authentic punk record ever. On the flipside though, down to Earth at ground-level reality, there’s much less than half an hour of newness here. Even the most dedicated punk veteran may be forgiven for thinking that it better be fucking good. Oh, and it’s called ‘Dropdead’. Again. For the third time. Still, if the music rocks no-one will give a fuck what the albums called, it’s not going to be a point of contention at your locals’ pub quiz anyway… unless your local is legendary.
‘Prelude’ is a great acclimatiser if you’re not sure what you’re in for from this band. Aggressive, relentless yet over before you know, the opener is defined by a rhythm so fast that beats fall over each other and stagger in and out of time. It brings to mind the live pit; people bouncing off and into each other, causing a little chaos. Accelerated forward on a wave of rough edges and distorted bass we are thrown into ‘Torches’ a rant at right wing politicians which opens at similar breakneck speed but switches after around 40 seconds to a sing along verse, or as close to one as you’ll get from thrash-based punk.
The shortest track, ‘Bodies’ stands, or maybe lies, at 17 seconds. Seventeen seconds! Too short for me [but not quite in ‘You Suffer’ territory – Monk]. The longest is ‘Book of Hate’ at almost three minutes. Between these two extremes there is a range of well structured, short sharp powerviolence blasts. ‘Flesh and Blood’ is a stand out, about falling victim to a system we helped create. ‘Hatred Burning’ has a wonderful feedback infused punk bass lead-in, before the switch back to the thrash necessary to underline overt disgust at our overtly racist and immoral leaders. Meanwhile in ‘Abbatoir of Pain’ the rhythm, outlining horror, outpaces the lyrics before eddying back into line.
The band is a fluid entity morphing between vocal and rhythm leads, none particularly winning out, more they act together to create the phenomenon that is Dropdead. It’s a skill and form of artistry that’s taken years to perfect. After all the band haven’t sat on their hands the last 30 years. In between albums they have released numerous split EPs, tours, live albums and a compilation, amounting to more than 20 releases over the course of their career.
In some cases frontman Bob Otis’ vocals compete with the lead guitar for sound space and it’s as well that his delivery has progressed over the years to become clearer than you might expect from a hardcore band because otherwise things would get muddy and indecipherable. As it is, despite guitars overlaying vocals, it’s still possible to pick out the lyrics and a classic punk snarl and that’s what is likely to draw the listener in. It’s full-gain aggression in music and vocals but you can still understand what Dropdead are trying to say. A change perhaps, but one that I hope fans will embrace because not only does it sound amazing, their message should be heard.
The message is intense and current. In today’s climate, where little hope remains that there is any sanity left in the world, action is the only way forward. Yes, the lyrics point to the unjust nature of the world and the horrors that are fuelled by those in power; Dropdead have voiced their opinions many times. They’ve raged against corrupt politicians, the failings of religion and animal welfare and they do so again, in that order, as the album progresses. Yet this time it feels different, this isn’t just about raising awareness or conveying a point of view. No. It’s about fuelling anger. Until people start to actually feel an emotional response to the corruption they witness everyday, they won’t be compelled to act. This is seasoned, directed aggression, born of frustration and designed to incite.
As the band exit, they leave you with a couple of points to ponder. ‘Will You Fight?’ is an avalanche of sound that pushes you to the precipice, forcing you to agree that ‘the time is now’. After all, ‘The Future is Yours’ and the outro begs for a change, a second chance. What would you do if you could? ‘When will you learn to defy?’ If that’s not a shove in a certain direction I’m not sure what is. Not ready to fight yet? Go buy the record.
You can hear more from Dropdead in remastered versions of the first two albums and discography which will be available later in the year. A new discography covering 1995-2013 is also in the pipeline.
- ‘Dropdead’ is released this Friday (25 September). You can get your copy HERE.
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