New Jersey’s Deadguy formed in 1994 and existed for a mere three years before their 1997 split. During their original run they put out the White Meat and Work Ethic seven inches, 1996’s highly influential debut full-length Fixation on a Co-Worker, the Screamin’ with the Deadguy Quintet EP, and the posthumous I Know Your Tragedy (Live at CBGBs) set.
Since their 2021 reunion, there’s been the Deadguy: Killing Music documentary, the Buyer’s Remorse live album, the Body Parts 7”, and now the brand spanking new sophomore album Near-Death Travel Services, their first release on the legendary Relapse Records.
“Kill Fee” goes straight for the throat which will be a relief to long-term fans, but there’s also some nice Killing Joke apocalyptic Industrial touches. The heavy breakdown will have the mosh pit moving, kung fu moves in tow (unfortunately). Welcome back, lads. “Barn Burner” delivers kick-ass crossover Thrash. The drumming is particularly outstanding, like Elvin Jones if he played in a Hardcore band. “New Best Friend” winding riff recalls the vintage LA Hardcore Punk of The Germs, particularly tracks such as “We Must Bleed” and this is injected with the vintage Thrash attack of Slayer, Seasons in the Abyss era. “Cheap Trick” is about as far removed from the Rockford Power-Pop crew of the same as you can get. Instead, what you’re met with is the technical prowess of Canadian legends Voivod, which is to say the track has a definite Prog vibe to it, albeit one which is devoid of the usual self-indulgence that comes with that genre. No note is wasted, nor any scream, is essential.
“The Forever People” recalls the dynamism of Long Island’s Vision of Disorder with Ringworm’s breakneck no-frills Metalcore, the vicious Vocals especially bearing similarities to that band’s frontman James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch. “War With Strangers” slows the pace with a far doomier feel and nods to the mighty Black Sabbath, helping to offer the listener a little light relief after what has been a fairly relentless barrage. On “Knife Sharpener,” you can hear how Deadguy have proved such an impact on bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, and Converge while simultaneously proving why they are the true godfathers of their genre, making the aforementioned sound pedestrian by comparison. “The Alarmist” is foreboding, packed with anxiety as highlighted by lyrical fare as “The sky is falling, it’s landing on us”. It’s one of the album’s more ‘accessible’ numbers with Noise-Rock grooves aplenty and certainly a highlight. “The Long Search For Perfect Timing” has a Black Metal tinge, imagine Darkthrone if they lessened the pace and focused more on melody. Parts also take cues from Gothic Rock and Post-Punk, giving it an all-round eerie quality. The unbearable build-up of tension in “All Stick & No Carrot” bears the hallmarks of The Wipers “When It’s Over” but with an actual resolution. In other words, it’s explosive and resultantly brilliant. “Wax Princess” sees King Crimson jamming with Slayer, ala Today is the Day, bringing the album to its unpredictable and thrilling conclusion.
Reunions can be a mixed bag, and with such a legacy to live up to Deadguy could have faltered and produced a disappointment. The fact that Near-Death Travel Services both measures up to and surpasses past works is nothing short of remarkable.
Buy the album here:
http://bit.ly/deadguy-ndts
9 / 10
REZA MILLS
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