Dead or American - A Border Crossing

Moving from their old post-hardcore stomping ground to more melodic pastures, the second Dead or American single to be released from their forthcoming Thaumaturgy LP is less a song on its own terms and more a collection of the best bits of other bands. Kicking off with a minimalist guitar line that seems reminiscent of Quicksand, the vocals oscillate between Conrad Keely and Cedric Bixler without quite reaching the intensity of the former or the unhinged shrillness of the latter. Poor production and mixing mean that the end result is both undercooked and muddy, sounding demo-ish instead of lo-fi and rendering this a so-so offering from an arse kicking live band. [Ewen Millar]