By Jeffery McNulty
Somewhere along the line punk and metal lost their way a little bit; remember when you could sing along to Slayer? When hardcore punk had songs and not just shouting and breakdowns? Enter Deadkill. Not since Neutral Boy’s Weapons of Mass Seduction has the Puget Sound created such a punk classic. A true Punk classic, with kick ass hardcore (notice no capital H?) punk riffs and choruses; songs you can sing along to! Think Chavo-era Black Flag meets Turbonegro’s Ass Cobra.
I rocked this album on repeat the last time I worked out and on the first time around I was humming along, by the second I was hitting the choruses and by the third spin I was singing along out loud, scaring all the straights doing the stairs on the Roanoke Hill Climb. Highlights include “Kill It” and “Oh God” which pretty much shows off everything these dudes can do. My favorite cut is “Kentucky Fried”, “It’s coming back, a heart attack, I’m having a flashback!” So good!
All the members of Deadkill are on top of their game. The rhythm section of Shawn Trudeau on drums and Michael Loftus on bass kick ass in style without ever getting too showy and their guitar players Michael Stubbs and Kirby C. Johnson are riff masters. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love this band regardless because of the music, but it’s Bryan Krieger’s lyrics that really sell it for me. Well thought out and witty notwithstanding their subject matter, which is just crass enough to offend sensitive types. Keep punk rock dangerous people, out of the malls and back into the streets!
(Another excellent record recorded by Matt Bayles? Do I review anything NOT recorded by Matt? Don’t blame me; I can’t help it if he’s good! But I think I’ll branch out for the next one… For some excellent local punk rock not recorded at Red Room check out the aforementioned Neutral Boy along with Steel Tigers of Death, Stubb’s other band Grave Matters and my new favorite, Burien. To name only a few, Seattle has a thriving punk scene ya’all.)
http://deadkill.bandcamp.com/album/no-never
