Dead On Arrival was formed in 2011 and is a 4 piece metal band from the East Midlands. The band consists of Jack Dughan (singer and rhythm guitarist), George Lathbury (drummer), Ben Calver (lead guitarist) and Connor Woodward (bassist).
Their passion is to write, produce and release their own music and then play it live and loud. They have other recorded music “Runners” EP and “From the Ashes”. Chasing Tides is to make its debut at Nottingham Rock City Basement on 18th August.
The EP kicks off with Vultures in the Waves which sets the tone for the rest of the tracks, darkly brooding and visceral but with light added from the vocals and sparking riffs. There is much to admire here as the musicianship is great and the quality of the recording allows you to hear all of the instruments. The changes in tempo add additional texture and interest but it was the mesmerising guitars that kept me intrigued about what was to follow.
There is an official video for this track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phY9NO5E8rY
Inside starts with massive drums and builds into a wall of sound with machine gun rattling guitars. This is a multi-layered track where the vocals build into a really catchy, toe tapping, head nodding tune. The guitars continue to rattle along, but providing space and snarly riffs that keep you interested and wanting more.
Corrupted world has a buzzy intro, with heavy, fuzzy bass lines mixing to bring a real depth and richness. The bursts of high pitched guitars add light to this intense track. The vocals from Jack give an idea of what it would be to see them live, as he moves effortlessly from melodic singing to spoken word and then into deep throated metal roars. I can see this track being enormous live as it is brutally heavy,
Syncopated guitars with a deep, throbbing bass line and thundering drums signal the closing track Sickening thing. There is clever and intriguing guitar work going on behind the vocals which adds real depth to this track.
There is so much to admire on this EP, there are some splendid riffs, thundering drumming and hard and heavy bass lines plus vocals that add to the mix, creating a brooding and intense EP but with enough light and space to not make this oppressive. It feels really accomplished for a young band, who are not afraid to make a massive sound and back it up with swagger and intensity. The band are inspired by Metallica and Black Sabbath, to name but a few, and you can see references here but really these are in passing. I would love to see them live as I feel it would be a real experience and probably leave me wanting much more.
Media:
https://www.facebook.com/DeadOnArrivalUK/?ref=br_rs
https://twitter.com/Deadonarrival19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phY9NO5E8rY&feature=youtu.be
