Most band’s first EP is nothing more than a glorified demo. New bands are constantly handing me their EP’s, and to be honest, they usually hit the trash can ASAP.

The songs are usually thrown together with no thought of structure or listen-ability – basically, I get a lot of “This is my music, and I refuse to write songs that are considered good!”

Deadpass has brought some hope to an otherwise stale genre with their first EP, and if this is what we get from the onset, I can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.

The EP is not without its issues, but that’s to be expected on an opening endeavor. The song writing is there, the arrangements are close, and the band members seem to play well with each other. Below is a song-by-song review. While some critiques may sound harsh, the fact is, this is one of the best debut EP’s I’ve heard in a long time.


Triple666 –

The firstsong on the EP, this is probably the weakest offering on the album. Vocals are rough, and the instrumentals seem to be thrown together with no form or function. Definitely hard to follow, considering the seemingly lack of a hook or a signature riff. Everybody sounds as if they are just adding their instruments to the song, not playing as a team

With that being said, definitely not the worst thing you’ll hear, and it leaves a good taste in your mouth when you start to think about future recordings from Deadpass.

Subliminal Straitjacket –

While better than the first track, the vocals are once again what hurt this song. However, the riffs are phenomenal, and the rhythm section stepped up their game. Everybody meshes well, and the bridge has an eerie quality to it.

Blood Of The Damned –

This is what every band to ever step into a studio wishes their first endeavor can produce. You have a radio-ready song that nails everything you need in a hit song. From the subtle intro, to the drop, chorus, hook, bridge…everything you need is here. While still possessing some rough spots vocally, the singer seems more comfortable with this style – particularly on the chorus, when he does more singing than screaming. Definitely makes you think of a Danzig-led Misfits tune…in a good way.

War Torn –

This one contains all the characteristics of a good thrash song. There are a couple weird spots that almost make it sound like two songs combined into one monster, but the tones are tight, the “breakdowns” are good, and they nail the meshing points. Not the best cut on the EP, but not the worst.

6 Bullets: 1 Reason –

This is a tough one to crack. The 1st couple of minutes have you thinking “didn’t I already hear this one?”, and then the band gets serious. While I couldn’t see anybody buying the album for this one song, it is one that you won’t skip through.

 

For first-time EP’s, I give this 4 stars out of 5. Production is good, you can hear every instrument, and the members are phenomenal musicians individually. When they start to anticipate each other, their song writing – which is pretty damned good – will get even better as they feel the flow.

 

More From Rock 96.7