CD Review: Dead By Wednesday - "Death Of The Rockstar" (Ear One Productions)

After about 30 seconds, it’s clear that Death Of The Rockstar is quite the ironic album title for Dead By Wednesday’s latest release, because, quite simply, this release proves rock is not dead. In fact, it’s very much alive and evidently doing very well, living on this stunning EP. Death Of The Rockstar is a five track monster, led off by the scathing and derisive title track which offers up chugging riff after chugging riff and snarling vocals laced with some seriously intense vitriolic rage (“Fuck the industry/Fuck labels and radio/Say you got originals but never want to play you/They’ll betray you”). There are also killer melodies, galloping guitars and soaring hooks (“When In Rome”), spectacular long lost b-sides from Bullet For My Valentine’s Hand Of Blood EP (“Left For Dead”), and ominous doom metal meets stomping thrash not unlike something Candiria would have churned out back in the day (“Shipwrecked”). “Slores” ends Death Of The Rockstar on a bit a down note thanks to some out of place rap verses, but hey, four out of four ain’t bad. Dead By Wednesday is the next big thing in rock and metal. It’s time to get on board.

Grade: A-

Go Download: “Left For Dead”