Review Summary: An underrated gem
What can be said about Dead Horse that hasn't already been said about them? Actually, I could say anything just about and I'd be among the few to have said it, because this album is very underrated, which really is a shame as this album shows.
There are three things that set Dead Horse as a different than most kinda band. The first, and most important, is their sense of melody. Now, this isn't a melodic death metal album in the sense that we now think of it. This is actual death metal, it's just that the riffs have a real melody behind them. This makes the songs more... song like, if that makes sense, than most death metal band's works. The riffs are heavy, but there is always a clear and present melody. It never sacrifices heaviness for melody, but the songs are always sure to have the melody behind them. On top of this melodic death metal, but not melodeath, sound is a layer of thrash metal. This layer is mostly just surface, and takes a back seat to the death. There really isn't enough thrash here to call it crossover, but it's there.
Secondly, vocalist Michael Haaga is not a cookie monster kinda guy. His vocals are gruff, but they are actually understandable. As with death, even an untrained ear can understand the lyrics. Now, Michael Haaga's voice isn't anywhere near as clear as Chuck's or of even the same style, but there are similarities. Songs like "the la la song" have normal death metal vocals, but more often than not Michael does his own thing, and this is what truly stands out. When there are regular death metal vocals, they are strong enough and do an admirable job, if not a whole lot more.
Third, guitarist Greg Martin provides more traditional guitar solos than most other death metal guitarists. They aren't crazed and random; they, like the music, have a real melody to them. This makes them a LOT more memorable and, in my humble opinion, better than most other band's solos. Martin isn't too technically impressive, but the skill he has he puts to great use and has a style of his own (at least within the death metal world).
This is a great album. If you're getting into death metal, Michael Haaga's gruff instead of cookie monster vocals are a lot easier for non-death metal heads to appreciate, but there are plenty of cookie monster vocal moments to help you get introduced to that style in a somewhat comfortable manner, although be warned, this is not beginner stuff outside of the vocal department.
