Review Summary: You ever wonder what if?
Deadguy, in my mind, is the most influential band in the history of mathcore. You could make an argument for Rorschach, who also shared lead guitarist Keith Huckins, but to be honest, most bands that came after are clearly drawing from their seminal 1995 work
Fixation on a Co-Worker. It’s hard to imagine bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Botch existing without borrowing from Deadguy. They were a step below the legendary bands of the genre in terms of popularity, but without a doubt possessed the most underground cred. They’re your favorite mathcore band's favorite mathcore band and for good reason. Sadly, as with the case of many excellent bands from the ‘90s their output was tragically cut short and we were left with only one full-length album with the classic lineup. Vocalist Tim Singer and Huckins splintered off and formed Kiss It Goodbye while the remaining members of Deadguy recorded the underappreciated
Screamin’ with the Deadguy Quintet EP. Most of these one-off metalcore bands from that era faded into obscurity as relics of the past, leaving fans to wonder what could’ve been.
Modern band reunions are often a one-show deal or yearly festival appearances. To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I love that well-respected musicians of yesteryear are getting their due and, more importantly, their cash. Reunion albums on the other hand, are a whole different beast. New material, either way, is a positive—if only out of sheer curiosity. On the downside, well… your legacy can truly be tarnished. The less we talk about Refused’s humiliating post-reunion work, the better. With Deadguy, though, I didn’t really know which direction we were headed. After all, this Earth has spun 30 times around the Sun since
Fixation, an unfathomable amount of time for a band playing their brand of harsh mathcore. How could a new album possibly be more than simply passable? Well, I’m pleased to report that the band has stepped out of a time capsule from 1995 and made an album that wouldn’t have been out of place if it had been released in 1998, and I mean that in the best possible way.
I love a good tone-setter, and after such a long absence, that opening statement is crucial. “Kill Fee” is an absolutely relentless opener that kicks down the door and proves Deadguy hasn't missed a beat. It launches right into their signature chaos with a killer, speedy, angular riff. Singer’s now more weathered hardcore yells repeatedly shouting “and we dare to believe” which almost plays like a meta commentary on their faith in this album. The song also taps into their various influences, hitting you with a groovy mid-tempo riff that slows down the pace before transitioning into a mean chug, surrounded by atmospheric dissonance.
Singer’s venomous barks have always been a highlight of the band, and while he may have lost a little bite in his upper register, he still fits right at home. Father Time comes for us all, but now in his 50s, he’s as pissed off as ever and his aged tone only adds to the experience of the album with how much time has passed. It's a remarkable performance not just for his age, but for anyone. I’m usually not a fan of more hardcore-influenced vocal stylings, but Singer just hits that right balance between fury, clarity, and of course a great repeated callout that will have you ready to shout along.
Huckins, meanwhile, delivers riffs in spades from chaotic spazziness to fuzzy doominess to serious groove even with a few thrash-inspired cuts that feel like they were pulled right out of an early Slayer album. There is a sheer arsenal of different riffs which keeps the album consistently fresh. The bass tone is incredibly rich and juicy, with solo moments to shine such as on “The Forever People” which leads into a very fun mosh moment or the dirty bass solo intro to "War with Strangers". The drumming is tight and crisp, with interesting fills when the tempo isn’t full speed ahead.
Near-Death Travel Services is an all-out auditory assault. While Dillinger may deliver tons of sharp, precise knife cuts, Deadguy has always delivered a straight punch to the face. There is such beauty in their seemingly paradoxical combination of simplicity and chaos.
“Barn Burner” is aptly named, as it quite literally brings the house down and will go down as one of the best songs of the year, as well as a standout in the pantheon of elite Deadguy tracks, up there with “Doom Patrol” and “Pins and Needles”. The brutal Slayer-esque riff is my favorite on the album, enhanced by screaming guitar noise that then leads into an absolutely filthy chug, one that lasts all of five seconds and leaves you wondering what just happened. Singer’s use of vocal repetition and emphasis is at its absolute peak here; this is how hardcore-influenced metal should sound. There is also a semi-spoken word passage towards the end in Singer’s deep voice, layered over a simple heavy thud and wailing feedback. It’s such a perfectly constructed song, densely packed with constant tempo whiplash, a remarkable feat that bands 30 years younger couldn’t pull off.
Sure, the album isn’t completely flawless as I may have led you to believe, but after literal decades? I’ll cut them some slack. The production is a bit sleeker and more modern, the riffs are a touch fuzzier and lack the sharp punch that
Fixation had. It’s produced well enough, but lacks some clarity, not a major drawback but worth a mention. Albums from that era had a real sense of character, and I do crave that rawness that is missing from a lot of today’s major releases. A few songs in the middle also start to blend together, especially after the two incredible openers that may have set the bar a tad too high. Minor complaints in the grand scheme of things though. This is a consistent and excellent throwback record, and honestly, that’s exactly what I hoped they’d deliver.
Deadguy stormed onto the scene, dropped the foundational mathcore treatise, and vanished just as quickly. They refined the genre to its core principles, making it ready for the masses to notice. I’ve wondered how they would’ve evolved over the years and how they would have dealt with standing out in the sea of copycats. It makes you miss what could’ve been, because
Near-Death Travel Services shows you exactly what Deadguy would’ve done, just kept on being Deadguy and that’s more than enough. Welcome back, fellas.
