Review Summary: Static Dress avoids a sophomoric slump by upping the ante on "Injury Episode." Discovering their voice in the process.
Static Dress's second album has been anticipated for at least the last two years. After a questionable detour into '90s nostalgia by remixing and remaking songs from their debut on Rogue Carpet Disaster Redux, the band began releasing new material in 2024, starting with the standalone single "Crying." Anticipation for a follow-up left fans craving more; some even accused the band of going too soft with "Crying," prompting the release of "death to the overground." "death to the overground" is arguably the heaviest song in their discography. Yet it, too, was another non-album single.
"face." arrived last October and represented a dichotomous blend of the two aforementioned singles. Once again, however, it was a one-off release—albeit the best song up to that point out of previous
Beyond releasing music, the band has built a cult following through its unique multimedia presentation. Tell me, do you know any other band releasing video games tied directly to album lore? Why does this matter? Static Dress announced their new album, Injury Episode, via a secret show and fan meetup. The location of the event was revealed through one of the band's recent VR-like games. The first single, "Human Props," was announced via text message to fans on the mailing list before being uploaded to YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms.
"Human Props" serves as the first taste of the new album. It combines elements of the sound found on Rogue Carpet Disaster with 2000s MySpace-core influences and the sounds of Glassjaw, Deftones, and Taking Back Sunday. In some ways, it is comparable to "Marisol" from the previous album, though it is more uptempo and less of a power ballad. Olli Appleseed's vocals have taken a noticeable step forward, and his screams sound more enunciated and clear compared to earlier releases. The chorus is undeniably catchy: "house burnt down / now we're screaming / criminal / straight criminals." Like "Marisol," "Human Props" transitions into a quieter bridge, but unlike its predecessor, it doesn't lean fully into power-ballad or Top 40 territory. Instead, it returns to the chorus, reinforcing the song's earworm qualities.
The most shocking thing I learned about Static Dress was Olli's lack of familiarity with Underoath. According to a podcast appearance with Nik Nocturnal, he wasn't aware of their music until after the debut album had already been completed. This is surprising considering Underoath is the band most often used as a point of comparison for Static Dress. Their first album has even been described as doing "Underoath better than Underoath ever did themselves."
Enter the album's only collaboration: "Nostalgia Kills." I remain somewhat ambivalent toward it. Compared to the rest of the record, it feels more like one of the standalone singles than a natural part of the album's overall cohesion and sound. I can't really distinguish Spencer Chamberlain's vocals or screams as clearly as I can Aaron Gillespie's contributions. Aaron's clean vocals, in particular, stand out—sometimes sounding like a whiny teenage girl during his verses. Olli remains a strong presence throughout, but I would describe the track as pure MySpacecore and Underoath worship. You have the band that inspired countless comparisons appearing directly on the song. Did Static Dress really need it? No. Does it still sound good? Absolutely.
"...Hospice" is the most accessible single—and perhaps the most accessible track—on the album. Its music video is symbolic, showing a metamorphosis in the band's sound. Olli wears a Green Room pin representing the room where they filmed much of their early content, then removes it and moves on. The song demonstrates that the band can be just as catchy as My Chemical Romance, crafting a power ballad reminiscent of "I Don't Love You." It shares similarities with "cubicle dialogue" from the previous album but is softer and more pop-oriented. As a result, it stands as one of the album's strongest highlights.
"dull blade disguise" opens with a shoegaze-infused, Hum-like hook. It feels as though someone threw "face." and "...Maybe!!?" into a blender alongside anthemic '90s emo (I hear Texas Is the Reason), 2000s pop-punk (Taking Back Sunday), and a touch of Glassjaw. Press "blend," and the result is "dull blade disguise"—the pinnacle and summation of the album's overall sound. It was fitting for the band to release it as the final single the day before the album dropped. It is, in my opinion, the strongest song on the record.
The album also contains tracks nearly as heavy as "death to the overground," including "Male-bomb," "Classic.Death.Pose.," and "Nostalgia Kills." Elsewhere, there are sing-along tracks that mix pop-punk with MySpace-core influences, such as "questioning," "Pharmacy Film," "lip critic," "Adapter," and "Treading." Softer, ballad-like moments are present as well, particularly on "Adult Diamond."
My personal favorite deep cut is "Treading," though I would recommend listening to "not a lesson to be endured, but one to grow from..." immediately beforehand to experience the full sonic assault. You really can't go wrong with Deftones-inspired music executed this well.
Overall, Injury Episode is more cohesive, unique, less derivative, and ultimately more replayable than Rogue Carpet Disaster. The interludes never overstay their welcome. The mistakes made by contemporaries such as Loathe and Moodring are completely avoided here. At no point does it feel as though Static Dress is simply trying to be Deftones for the umpteenth time. Instead, they have carved out a distinctive pastiche of 2000s MySpace-core. The nostalgia doesn't wear them—they wear the nostalgia.
