Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead--s/t
McCarthyism 2003
In their short existence, McCarthyism Records have been very consistent in releasing music from superb new bands. The latest in this line is Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead, from New Orleans. Yet again, we have a band you may not have heard of before that you'll be clamoring for more information on after a listen or two.
Like a lot of the other stuff McCarthyism has dropped, Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead's base sound is that of a hardcore/black metal hybrid, with the black metal influence coming through predominantly via the high-pitched, screamed vocals. The thing that seperates this group from other bands of the ilk is an epic metal quality to the music. Not that this sounds anything like Iron Maiden or similar bands--the epic quality of Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead's music has more to do with vibe, structure, and the ebb and flow of dynamics than anything else.
Every song on this self-titled disc is extremely well crafted. On track two, "08.26.20," Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead's brand of hardcore takes on a familair D.C./Fugazi-styled angularity, accentuated by the quietly tense and clean voiced intro. However, the band is really at its best on tracks three and five, "03.01.04" and "04.08.03." On these two cuts, the riffs are very strangely melodic, with the screamed vocals creating a unique contrast against them.
Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead have come up with a compelling listen on this debut album. Sure to appeal to fans of label-mates such as Vincent Price's Orphan Powered Death Machine, this disc could also prove popular with followers of mainstream bands like System Of A Down. Any way you slice it, this is good stuff. Keep it coming.
Score this CD directly from MCCARTHYISM
|
