The anticipation of an initial release from a deemed supergroup can illicit a mixed consensus and unwarranted acclaim. Newburgh, NY’s Dead Ahead (featuring members of With The Punches, Autopilot Off and Measured In Grey) have subverted the hype machine by navigating away from the gaze of their previous outfits' avid followers while recording an EP from under everyone’s noses. This has culminated in a four-song EP that has become an immediate planting into the soil-bed of the independent punk scene's attention.
“Cold Truth” signals a slow burn of repetitive guitar strokes, creating stirring rings of a doom-laden chord. It is the classic build-up that has been continuously imitated to summon suspense that, in this case, leads to a full-fledged steam-rolling 4/4 punk salute. The song framework is simplistic as vocalist Jesse Vadala is moderately reserved in the verses, dipping in between pounds of bass and gloom-riddled guitar licks. The topical nature is also a testament to the simplistic cyclical human behaviour that Vadala reflects, saying "I went down every avenue to find I was all alone—repeat, repent, regret".
“Rose Lenses” offers a short immediate burst to listeners, encapsulating the echoing pace and stomps of hardcore-influenced punk. Clocking in as the shortest track on the record, “Rose Lenses” is devoid of the excess, and instead grips with the might of the punk rock shuffle that covers and drags all the attention it can with it until its sudden break.
On Dead Ahead’s debut EP, there's a sturdy foundation of hardcore-influenced pun, mirroring the prowess of Bad Religion at a phase where the band was geared towards refining its grasp on melody with the early '90s. “Berzerker” infuses a strand of punk rock that's reliant on the robotic churning strums, old school siren-esque bass tone as a backline and brain-washing "woahs". Vadala injects an infuriated spitting vocal performance onto the track that has never been heard from the vocalist on record, regressing into an animalistic snarl.
“Exit Letters” is the brightest moment on the EP, which acts as a vehicle to the most uplifting tone change on the record that brands itself as anthemic. “Exit Letters” also allows guitarist/co-vocalist Johnny Keane to contribute a distinct veteran crooning that heightens the tension in the bridge before the last hurrah of the chorus, which encourages the band to floor you with the last reserves of energy.
Dead Ahead’s debut EP is an immediate no-filler effort that shows even further potential on the band's course of action with the corners of punk rock.
Tracklist:
1. Cold Truth
2. Rose Lenses
3. Berzerker
4. Exit Letters
RIYL: Against The Grain and Recipe For Hate–era Bad Religion, The Unravelling-era Rise Against
Rating:
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