French punk rock band DEAD END has been around for more than 20 years! Despite all those years and numerous line-up changes, Wattie (vocals/guitar) always managed to keep DEAD END alive and kicking.
On this new album, you can obviously hear Wattie’s punk rock’n’roll roots in songs like “Autophobia”, “The Cheater”, “Loser”, or “Shout”, and while some songs like “Bring Us Solutions”, or “Political Shits” are on the edge of pop punk, they also have a strong anarcho punk feel, which doesn’t make DEAD END an easy band to label. Wattie’s vocals have also always contributed to make DEAD END stand out, and this new album is no exception!… Songs like “Love Is Pain”, or “Degeneration” manage to keep a raw punk rock energy mixed to a darker feel. On the other hand, “N.O.V.A.” and “Forever Missed”‘ bring the best of 90s/early 00s Californian punk rock to mind with sunny and catchy choruses, and “Oi Boy!” is an ode to Oï! Some might be surprised to hear that the song “Black Thoughts” sounds like a tribute to The CURE, but it’s not surprising when you know a bit about the band and Wattie.
“Suicide Notes” proves us once again that DEAD END will never be part of “Mediocracy”, and hopefully, it will help them to finally get the recognition they deserve. /Laurent C.
Veglam 