Depression Tank

Dead Head are yet another of the myriad underrated European thrash bands to emerge during the 'Golden Era' of the genre, beginning in the mid 80s and then fizzling out in the early 90s. They held the torch a little longer than most, having just begun to issue full-lengths in 1991 with 'The Feast Begins at Dawn'. That and 'Dream Deceiver' were decent efforts if not instant classics, but the band has never disappeared, releasing 'Kill Division' in 1999 and Haatland in 2005. It's really a good thing they've stuck it out, because their 5th album 'Depression Tank' is both the best and most exciting of their career, thriving with an intensely hostile disposition most younger bands are simply incapable of.

The band sounds pissed. Most of the album moves at a single pace: full speed ahead. New vocalist Ralph de Boer isn't a far cry from his predecessor, his voice is like a menacing hybrid of Schuldiner and Schmier. "Dissolved in Purity" alternates between a Slayer-esque chug-fest and hyper rhythms below the shredding leads. "Green Angel" implants discordant chords over a frenzied start and stop blasting verse, sounds like the dead end of a crack overdose but then busts out a total 80s crossover thrash breakdown. "Cryptocynic" is incendiary. It's nearly impossible to not LOVE this track if you're a fan of Bay Area or German thrash metal in the 80s, it's thrust matched by its propensity for catchy riffs and angry vocal spew. "The Swing" is a swing at religious phallacy. And a home run. "Daemonique" features some spastic and noodly riffing along with its thrusting chords. "Firegate" has been made my new life soundtrack...a beautiful portrait of everything I've ever loved about thrash (and death) metal. The remainder of the tracks are equally violent and excellent, in particular "Nero Dies" and the punishing "Pesticide".

The mix is just as professional as you could want from a thrash album, the guitar tone is crunchy and vocals are just right: spitting hatred and virtue in the same breath. If the band's previous albums haven't cemented them into the annals of thrashistory just yet, 'Depression Tank' will seal the deal. It's an impressive statement from an overlooked band.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

I’m still having regular discussions with a friend concerning Dead Head. It seems no matter what this band does, he will prostrate and, even though we both grew up with early Dead Head, he’s been worshipping Haatland on a weekly basis since it came out and now even thinks the album has magical and evil powers. For me they are an element of my youth and as a result I, of course, only look at their old band pictures. You know, when they still had hair and could wear tight jeans. Don’t you hate it when you see your idols getting old? I do anyway.

The Dutch scene couldn’t and can’t exist without them and to this day each album they release, I still buy immediately. But since the late nineties, they were never able to regain their earliest geniality. Sure, “Kill Division” and “Haatland” were very good but "The Feast..." and "Dream Deceiver" had something extra. A je-ne-sais-quoi brilliance.

Maybe it’s because Dead Head were able to constantly re-invent themselves in their earliest days while also having a staple sound from day one. Their stop-and-go hyperactive approach, Hans Spijker’s unequalled neurotic drums, Tom van Dijk’s über-aggressive thrash metal growls and screams. Everything they do, it immediately sounds like Dead Head. And this is a remarkable achievement.

Since the days of Kill Division each new Dead Head album is entertaining yet never brilliant anymore. Maybe a lack of classic individual songs or maybe because their songwriting (riff-writing even?) has become somewhat formulaic over the years. Point is that Dead Head haven’t written an instant classic like The Festering, In Your Room, House of Ambience, Saved By Science, Sawn In Two or Unholy for years now. The band has certainly become less catchy over the years and, honestly, I do miss that. The formulaic approach became most obvious on Haatland. A good album albeit quite predictable and I never consciously remember individual sections (that one-cool-break or that one-divine-riff) from that release let alone standout tracks. But let us be honest now. Dead Head have never written or released a ‘bad’ album. On a bad day they’re still extremely good and entertaining.

The new Dead Head album “Depression Tank” once again has a few minor changes, such as a new vocalist who sounds remarkably like his predecessor (oh my god, they cloned Tommy!) and secondly more mid paced sections and some out-of-place modern day riffs. Meaning some groovy riffing and incidental (dis)harmonic experiments with an unfortunate bad-boy attitude instead of a who-gives-a-shit-let’s-mosh thrasher mentality. A nice idea on paper of course, trying to evolve, but the band really doesn’t need that (anymore) since they’re grown ups by now, have a normal life and jobs as well and don’t depend on their band making it big. It often just distracts. On Dream Deceiver they did a much better job at it but please, the nineties are over! Boycott groove and pedantic riffing.

What makes it most obvious that this is yet another quality Dead Head album but with, once again, no real new classic songs, is that the best and most memorable song is…“Pesticide”. This song immediately stands out. Better breaks, more exorbitant and catchy riffs. But this song is 20 years old and already appeared on their 1989 live demo and their debut album. So why the re-recording? Why not finally a decent studio version of Train Towards, Chosen By Faith, Access Denied or Eyes Of Hate? Why not re-record one of those songs that never made it on a regular full length like I Tormentor or Sawn in Two?

And there’s more about this album. It makes sense as a whole but do not listen to songs individually. Don’t ask me why but when I first heard “Less Than Zero” online, I found it rather disappointing. There was that extra 0,5% neuroticism missing which had always been the finishing touch to the Dead Head sound. Where other bands were ‘just’ very fast, Dead Head gave it that extra push. Yet when hearing the song on the album, in between, it makes more sense. Much more sense. It falls into place. This underlines my earlier conclusion that this album doesn’t have real standout songs and must be listened to as one organic entity.

Just like the early day album “Dream Deceiver”, “Depression Tank” is one of the more polished and slightly slower Dead Head releases but lacking in the classic-songs department. Still beats the hell out of 90% of all those new retro-bands and fortunately Dead Head are one of the few ‘old’ bands who still know how to play fast (Exodus, Laaz Rockit & Testament: take notes!)

This band may very well be the cause of me loosing my driving licence and indeed my freedom soon. This cd is soooo savage that everytime i play it I really want to cause harm to others.

This band have been around since the late 80`s which was a golden and extremely fertile period for thrash metal, and it shows. Their style is just about as aggressive as thrash can logically get before having to refer to them as death metal whilst thankfully managing to retaining a slight 80`s vibe. Everything about this latest release just ooozes unadulterated seething hatred, and aural violence.

The raging, savage, heavy yet scything hyperfast guitar riffs are so crammed with maliciousness that you instantly realise that Slayer have in all reality been effectively dead for years. The vocals which easily rival any thrash band in history for delivering snarling savage hatred, should show Kreator what they have been incapable of producing since Pleasure to Kill. The fast cannon like drumming is unrepentant, and forms a perfect malevolent percussive backing for this brutal aural bashing.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this band and this album to anybody who freaks out to bands like Aggression, Sadus, old Slayer, Exumer, Exodus, Morbid Saint, etc. In all reality if you love truly aggressive well executed metal music with a powerful and clear sound then i strongly suggest that you invest your cash immediately.

Deadhead have remained very consistant with their releasing of very high quality thrash/deathrash music for nearly twenty years. The only slight problems that they have experienced regarding this quality, would be that the production on their first album was a little weak for the music contained within. This problem was totally readdressed by the time that they released the classic Kill Division album. Unlike the first couple of albums which are now rare and collectable releases, Depression Tank has been released by the excellent experienced dutch label Displeased, who should be able to give this album the promotional push that it truly deserves.

Hail the best thrash band around today, they have been criminally overlooked for far too long.