I sometimes struggle with music made at the more extreme end of the market, a lot of it doesn’t speak to me on a very personal level. But that isn’t a problem; it is certainly no reflection on the music itself, and there is no need for anyone to take such a statement personally; after all, not everyone can be the target audience. But then I heard “Cage,” a song that sits comfortably within the sonic spectrum that Dead By All Means calls home, but which also seems to explain to me the scope and potential of the music made in such a place and does so much better than other songs I have heard of its type in a long time. Perhaps, I was missing something and being hasty to judge such music.
Their music is woven from sonic threads that span the realms of classic hard rock through to modern heavy metal, but it does so much more than appeal to fans of big guitars and thunderous drums, both of which it has in no small amount. As is always the case, it is the finer details that really make it stand apart from the pack.
If the hard rock riffs bring an unexpected melodicism and the metal energies an undeniable muscle, you also find accessible lyrics, hints of nu-metal futurism and Screamo’s demonic vibes, coiled rhythmic riffs, and glorious guitar solos and no small feeling of anthemic scope —poise and power, grandeur and groove, and grit and grind, all working in harmony.
Indeed, I was missing something, and “Cage” has just reminded me how accessible and exciting heavy music can be. Existing fans of metal in all its forms will find a lot to like: the gothic set will appreciate its dark soundscapes, old-school rockers will latch on to its groove, and the more industrial-minded will find its harsh beauty and apocalyptic foreboding to their tastes. But if, like me, you have been away from the metal trenches for a while and are looking for a way to return to the fray, this is the perfect place to start.
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