The utter joy of festivals such as New Colossus in New York is that you have an opportunity to talk to the bands. The Decibel Decoder found herself at the bar with a member of Deady who had just performed at Parkside Lounge. The five piece punk band had just delivered an exhilarating set which blew the room away. They have now released their debut album HUNKA JUNK via Romanus Records and it’s a roller-coaster of an album with most of the 12 tracks coming in at under two minutes.
Opener ‘SYSTEMATIC SLAUGHTER’ is raucous punk rock, a fierce start with guitar riffs that shudder. Lead singer Mandy Keathley delivers impassioned vocals, at times slightly unhinged. It gallops along at pace, its slightly off-kilter moments adding to the fun. The pace only increases and heads into hardcore territory on ‘OUTLAW PORNOGRAPHY’, ‘HOT DAMN’ and ‘SPINNING ROOMS’ the latter a fast and ferocious bundle of electrifying joy.
And then a track to stop the listener in their tracks. ‘LOUISVILLE’ is a beautiful homage to deady’s hometown. The vocal is breathtaking, delicate and emotive, stripped back accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. In fact there are two other tracks on the album with this flavour: ‘GOODNIGHT BITCH’ and the unforgettable ‘LIE TO THE POLICE’. Reading the title ‘LIE TO THE POLICE’ the expectation was that this would be an explosion of angst, in fact the opposite is true, and it’s more powerful due to this restraint: “keep your hands where they can see”.
Elsewhere ‘THE WEIGHT’ bounces along with its hint of pop punk, but it’s hardcore punk rock where this bands heart lies. Title track ‘HUNKA JUNK’ is a highlight. Anger, frustration and rage come pouring out of this track: “suck my dick in hell” expresses everything. The thunderous drums and heavy guitar are wholly appropriate, the instrumentation unleashing a fury which is impossible to ignore.
‘R.I.P.’ closes out HUNKA JUNK, a playful track which brings a hardcore guitar and yet a pop punk vocal, crisp and clear. The layers are thrilling, and the pulsating drumbeat hits top speed until everything calmly heads into the outro.
Deady have produced a self-assured debut album, clearly demonstrating they are so much more than a punk band. Live they are intoxicating, The Decibel Decoder can guarantee this from personal experience.
For more information on Deady please check their facebook and instagram.