As the four or five people who read this blog know, I'm a huge fan of up-and-coming Detroit based hardcore act Dead & Gone. I honestly was blown away by their EP "Catharsis" that came out this past summer. Seamlessly intertwining introspective lyrics written by lead vocalist Steven Mason with abrasive instrumentals provided to us by guitarist Aaron Salo, bassist Brad Wolf, and drummer Jade Dunn that harken back to more established HxC acts such as Have Heart and Band, I had high hopes for this band. Well, I think that it's pretty safe to say that those hopes have been exceeded by their latest EP, titled "Abandonment", which was put online for free just a few days ago on October 17th.
On this release, everything has evolved since Catharsis. The instrumental tracks seem to swap out the youth crew sensibilites that the last release had with more post-hardcore ones, and that's not a bad thing in the slightest. Whereas the songs on Catharsis were faced-paced and crushing, these tracks are slowed down considerably from that release, giving them a more menacing, Defeater-type vibe. Even I had to do a second take when I first heard them. Vocals on this release have considerably improved and are even better than they were before. The musician ship has also improved very much so. Production values have gone up ten fold. And the lyrics are very relateable and very well written, and in some cases are even more devastating then the songs themselves.
And now, for the actual songs themselves. Opener "Growing Pains" is about exactly what the title suggests. It opens with an instrumental passage that accurately sets the tone for the rest of the record. Then comes an abrupt change of pace, and Mason recounts to us, the listeners, his experiences in the past two years pertaining to becoming an adult and the changes that come with it, shouting desperately in a deliberate attempt to make us feel uncomfortable in the best way possible. This continues in subsequent track "Drowning But Not Dying", where the instrumentalists really shine the most in my opinion, especially drummer Jade Dunn.
"Inside and Out", which is the third track from the record, honestly caught me off guard the first time that I heard it. Written as a slow-paced love song, Mason pours out his feelings about his significant other the way that D&G does best, and it turns out to be one of the best songs on the record. And finally, closer "Rapid City, South Dakota" shows just how far along this band has come, with excellent guitar-bass harmonization, bombastic drumming, and vocals that will for sure send shivers down your spine.
I can't really think of any gripes that I have with this release. Sure, there are a few nit-picky things here and there, like some of the drumming slightly falling out of time on the last song, and, in my personal opinion, some of the heightened production values making the songs on here feel less intense than songs on Catharsis. I don't know if that was the intention or not, but in no way does it hurt how hard this EP hits. And the vocals are still the make-or-break reason that will decide if you like this band or if you'll tune out. But as I said, besides the last thing which I personally love, these are all nit-picky things. The EP as a whole is an incredibly crafted collection of songs. If you haven't listened to Dead & Gone, I recommend that you do. If you like hardcore, that is. They're an incredible band, and an incredible group of guys, and I don't think you'll be disappointed if you check them out. I anxiously await the full length that they will undoubtedly release, and I have no doubts in my mind that it'll be excellent. These guys have INCREDIBLE amounts of potential, and can hold their own in a scene where everyone's looking for something new.
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/tyranitarhc?sk=wall
Band Camp link (download the album for free!): http://deadandgone.bandcamp.com/
Overall album rating: 4.8/5
Choice cuts: All four tracks.
