WAKE THE DEAD, taking influence from bands such as HAVE HEART and (surprise surprise) COMEBACK KID, have big ideas with latest release ‘Meaningless Expectations’. Opening with ‘Mon Ravé Familier’, combining impeccable drum work with duel vocals leaping between shouting and screaming to produce an impressive end result.
If ‘Mon Ravé Familier’ was good, the bass heavy ‘Reach the Sky’ takes it up another level altogether – it’s a song that would stand up as a great introduction to modern hardcore, and the further into the album that you get, the clearer it becomes to see how WAKE THE DEAD ended up on bills with the likes of A WILHELM SCREAM and CRUEL HAND.
The slow, chugging breakdowns and hectic guitar work are thoroughly enjoyable, and Jeff’s vocals seem at their strongest when he’s really pushing them, with the start of ‘Sweet Words Fuck Your Throat’ being the best example. He has the capability to be a fantastic vocalist with a little more work.
If you’re into bands such as HAVE HEART, DEAD SWANS or STRIKE ANYWHERE, you’ll really enjoy this record, and despite the fact that there’s room for improvement, WAKE THE DEAD are on the right tracks and ‘Meaningless Expectations’ is well worth a listen.
CHERI FAULKNER