When you think of grunge music you tend to think about a few things, Seattle, kids with torn jeans and scars on their wrists, Kurt Cobain, dark, dirty clubs and the 1990's. rnThese days grunge is a genre that is past its peak, many would say, Dave Grohl has taken the crown as King of commercial grunge in the absence of Cobain and with the Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth gone, the golden age seems to be over. Apart from the rare (and getting rarer) bit of genius from the Foo Fighters and the occasional new band who come along to regurgitate old Nirvana songs, it is not often you find a band with a original or truly passionate and angst filled twist to the genre. With this in mind Dead Souls have a genuine niche to fill. rn rnThe guitars are really dark and deep and with a bass that instantly crushes your ear drums, from the moment track one 'Leeches' breaks in, you know that Dead Souls have a lot of power and a very full sound for a grunge band.rnThe riffs are well polished and even though the guitar keeps the more traditional, disjointed and messy grunge feel it links really well with the bending bass and fast punky drums.rnThe vocalist has a really angst filled growl, that moves well building from soft grunts to real angry and emotion filled screams. The lyrics are also really catchy in this first track. The drummer keeps it simple and with the dark and brooding bass carrying the songs, the guitar has room to add twists and turns, with messy solos, screams and chunky chords. rnThe backing vocals join in for the chorus and this song builds well with the vocals getting more and more desperate and with the guitar slowly getting more messy, the emotion slowly grows, making Leeches, a great opening track that sticks in your head. rn rn'Half Asleep Walking' kicks in with a slightly softer and slower feel than the previous track but with the deep, messy distortion and driving bass, it once again moves very nicely. The lyrics are again really catchy and by using some good harmonies and repetitive hook lines, Dead Souls melodies get lodged in your mind. rnHalf way through the song it suddenly changes and shows some good dynamic by changing tempo, with the guitar hitting some fast picking and going into a nice instrumental break. This song has a very high edge which gives it an upbeat and uplifting feel. It reminds me of Puddle of Mud or Stone Temple Pilots but with the rough, growling vocal it also has that raw Nirvana edge that is high in energy. Though Half asleep Walking is a fairly slow song it has plenty of energy and with the catchy, infectious vocal patterns and changes in dynamic, it shows imagination and passion. rn rnFinal track 'December Motel' is again a slower effort which changes between a trebly high guitar riff with a driving bass and brutal riffs that chugs along well, like a herd of elephants dragging there young up a hill, once it reaches its peak it slides down, into more chaotic and powerful terrain, crushing everything in sight or should I say ear shot. Once more it has a really tight drum and bass section, that with some nice driving bass lines and simple but upbeat drumming, carry the songs. This gives the vocals chance to move and add interesting patterns. This song also shows some good guitar skill and as it goes on the guitar is left to run all round the track, coming in and out with effects, solos, screams, screeches and building it to a nice peak. rn rnBy using driving bass lines, upbeat drumming and powerful, emotional guitar riffs, Dead Souls have songs that move really well, building on simple fountains but making great castles of angst filled rock. rnWith this strong base, the vocals are thrown in with masses of feeling and with some really catchy and interesting vocal patterns, Dead Souls songs are really infectious. rnThey show on this E.P that they are not just your average grunge band and by mixing angry, passionate and fierce hook lines with melodies that are diverse and have clever dynamics, their music has a more up lifting feel than many bands you'd rank in this style. rnI still feel there is room for more movement at times but I think Dead Souls get a good balance between traditional, catchy grunge rock and a more up lifting experimental style which has a more 70's edge. This edge gives them a more fun and friendly feel and it certainly gives them an original edge, which they can really build on. rnrnrn
Reviewed by: Gaz
