Dead Cells
Natalie from Aylesbury based hard rock band, Dead Cells, recently got in touch to let them know about their debut EP, Tear Down The Heavens, to see what we thought. The band have already received airplay on radio stations such as Total Biker and TotalRock and seem to be on the road to making it, with a year of touring around the country and playing festivals ahead of them. As such, I figured it was about time I jump on the band wagon to see what’s going on!
Sunshine opens proceedings and immediately lays down the bar for the rest of the album to follow, bass heavy and fuelled with energy from the outset. There’s a real sense of funkiness running through the track from the moment it comes into being, the bass setting a jumping beat before ushering in the gravelly vocals and hammering drums which push this track to a new level. There’s something so energetic here in fact, that as I was listening to the track for the first time I found myself trying to keep pace with the track in my typing – needless to say it didn’t work! Here Be Dragons continues the upbeat and full on theme, once again opening with a bass fuelled section of hammering riffs, pounding drums and hard hitting vocals. What’s most striking about these tracks is that the band haven’t over done them, they’re heavy enough without being too in your face or too over the top – it’s a clever mix but one which works!
Painkiller almost seems chilled out after the previous tracks, opening much more simply before launching into an almost RHCP type section of slap bass and funky guitar lines. Restrained vocals elevate this track beyond a simple hard rock tag and form something different here, something which is going to make you want to move along with the band and see them on the live scene. Lead snippets, heavy drums, funky bass and guitar combos, the whole mix is here and works exceedingly well, definitely a high point on the EP! Moving into The Rub, once again we’re treated to a full on opening before launching into a chunky verse section, almost sounding stuttered at first but soon forming into something which is once again going to get live crowds moving along with the band. Restrained yet energetic, once again this track is an example of how to craft a track that doesn’t rely simply on distortion to be heavy, instead combining all of the different elements to form a sound which can simply be described as massive, it’s good to hear and testament to the bands ability to all work together!
Closing the album with Dead Letter (Explicit), there’s no doubt that this is a band who are going to be at home on the live scene more so than on a CD, the CD simply doesn’t do them justice. Almost laid back as it forms, there’s a real sense that this is a build up to the track beginning properly, and as the chorus kicks in it all becomes clear. Throwing down into a chorus of epic proportions, this is a track which you’re not only going to love hearing, but you’re going to find yourself singing back to yourself for days afterwards!
Dead Cells are one of those bands who defy labelling, they don’t follow the conventions which are typically found in Hard Rock, instead taking the ingredients and mixing them into a mix of their own and crafting an EP which is more of a journey than a listening experience. The closing moments suggest seriously awesome things for these guys as well as hinting that this is going to be a band which you need to get out and see for yourself! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next as, based on this, there are going to be good things still to come!
To find out more about Dead Cells, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Sunshine opens proceedings and immediately lays down the bar for the rest of the album to follow, bass heavy and fuelled with energy from the outset. There’s a real sense of funkiness running through the track from the moment it comes into being, the bass setting a jumping beat before ushering in the gravelly vocals and hammering drums which push this track to a new level. There’s something so energetic here in fact, that as I was listening to the track for the first time I found myself trying to keep pace with the track in my typing – needless to say it didn’t work! Here Be Dragons continues the upbeat and full on theme, once again opening with a bass fuelled section of hammering riffs, pounding drums and hard hitting vocals. What’s most striking about these tracks is that the band haven’t over done them, they’re heavy enough without being too in your face or too over the top – it’s a clever mix but one which works!
Painkiller almost seems chilled out after the previous tracks, opening much more simply before launching into an almost RHCP type section of slap bass and funky guitar lines. Restrained vocals elevate this track beyond a simple hard rock tag and form something different here, something which is going to make you want to move along with the band and see them on the live scene. Lead snippets, heavy drums, funky bass and guitar combos, the whole mix is here and works exceedingly well, definitely a high point on the EP! Moving into The Rub, once again we’re treated to a full on opening before launching into a chunky verse section, almost sounding stuttered at first but soon forming into something which is once again going to get live crowds moving along with the band. Restrained yet energetic, once again this track is an example of how to craft a track that doesn’t rely simply on distortion to be heavy, instead combining all of the different elements to form a sound which can simply be described as massive, it’s good to hear and testament to the bands ability to all work together!
Closing the album with Dead Letter (Explicit), there’s no doubt that this is a band who are going to be at home on the live scene more so than on a CD, the CD simply doesn’t do them justice. Almost laid back as it forms, there’s a real sense that this is a build up to the track beginning properly, and as the chorus kicks in it all becomes clear. Throwing down into a chorus of epic proportions, this is a track which you’re not only going to love hearing, but you’re going to find yourself singing back to yourself for days afterwards!
Dead Cells are one of those bands who defy labelling, they don’t follow the conventions which are typically found in Hard Rock, instead taking the ingredients and mixing them into a mix of their own and crafting an EP which is more of a journey than a listening experience. The closing moments suggest seriously awesome things for these guys as well as hinting that this is going to be a band which you need to get out and see for yourself! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next as, based on this, there are going to be good things still to come!
To find out more about Dead Cells, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls