The guys over at In At The Deep End Records have been making a lot of noise about their latest signing Wounds recently and rightly so. Reports of the band attacking venues up and down the country with their own particular brand of dirty rock ‘n’ roll/punk have spread far and wide through the underground as anticipation of their debut full length release Die Young heightened. But at last the wait is over and we can all sit back and drink in the fruits of their labours and finalise our opinions on weather all this hype is deserved and justified or merely another case of Chinese whispers getting out of hand.
The first thing you notice as opening song Killing Spree rockets into action is how raw everything sounds. This is lot meant in a derogatory way but its clear that this album was not written to be a finely polished work with an immaculate sound. The way the record has been produced captures the energy and aggression of the band fantastically with the vocals coming across in the most brilliantly abrasive way. It’s a fantastic way to start an album too. White hot and spitting bile in the ears of anyone who dares press play.
As the album continues there are certain songs that stand out more than others. This is not to say that the songs that don’t stand out are bad songs, just that the songs that do stand out are more memorable or impressive. Songs such as Dead Dead Fucking Dead which instantly brings to mind the old school Misfits type of punk rock while others such as No Future, Bombs and Desperate Times bring a feel to the table that is more reminiscent of The Bronx or possibly Gallows.
There is, however, a second side to Wounds. This is first showcased in fifth song Choke. The darker pseudo disco verses give way to a chorus that is more ferocious that most would expect when following verses of this type. The second time this side of Wounds showcases itself is on closing track Dead Road. This journey through the darker side of the band is a great way to close the album. Venomous and cathartic where it needs to be whilst also retaining the spark and energy present throughout this record it’s a real delight to listen to.
Die Young, as a debut album, has everything you could want from a band of this genre and effortlessly maintains the high standard that In At The Deep End continually strive for. Is it the best album you’ll hear this year?, probably not but its dirty, energetic, raw and honest and what more could you possible ask for in a band.
