Torture Tunes
DEAD IN 5
Die Another Day
Detroit heavy rockers, DEAD IN 5, are back with a generous 17 track best of album titled Die Another Day that consists of material from their earlier albums. It feels like just yesterday that I reviewed their Schizophrenic Razor Project EP, yet looking back into our archives it was quite some time ago. This, to me, proves the standing power of their music.
I really enjoyed the tracks on SRP, and I feel the same way about the Die Another Day compilation. DEAD IN 5 are able to simultaneously pull off a raw and dirty hard-edged sound while remaining equally melodic (most songs are easily rock radio friendly – like “Pressure Head” for example). Yet, on the drop of a hat, they can turn around and deliver a really hardcore tune like “And Then I Killed Her” and somehow remain consistent to the vibe they’re dishing out. Not an easy thing to accomplish yet they seem to achieve this effortlessly.
They definitely don’t dwell on self-indulgence as very few of their tracks cross the four-minute mark. Their music is fast, furious, catchy and straight to the point. I maintain my description of frontman Robert Libres’ voice being equal parts Dave Wyndorf (Monster Magnet) and Paul Stanley (yes, that Paul Stanley). The rest of the band is equally strong and incredibly consistent. To the listener, there doesn’t appear to be any divide between the material from one album to the next – tracks can be shuffled around and still complement one another quite well in any order. Of course there are those tunes that really stand out, “Wreck Your World” would be my pick.
DEAD IN 5
Die Another Day
(Aural Pleasure Music)
Written by: Richard Leggatt
8.5 out of 10
This album is a nice little nod to the fans, since hardcopies of the earlier discs have already sold out. It’s also a great segue to their upcoming album Automatic Death Machine which I am thoroughly stoked to hear!
If you’re the kind of person who digs heavy alternative rock with a gritty edge to it then I would really recommend that you pick up Die Another Day AND Schizophrenic Razor Project by DEAD IN 5. You’ll be glad you did. Go ahead and wreck your world a little.
Richard Leggatt, HMS
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