Dead By Wednesday – The Last Parade

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Dead by Wednesday from Connecticut, USA are almost straight up classic hardcore, but mix in certain elements from rock and metal that does make for a slightly more interesting take on the genre. The band tend to have much more metal-influenced riffs, though perhaps not in the way we expect from the majority of metalcore bands. Instead it is a more old school metal influence, influenced more by bands like Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath than thrash. As a result, The Last Parade falls within the borders of hardcore and heavy metal, but certainly isn’t metalcore. The band are certainly pretty clever and inventive, with some intriguing basslines and good guitar work for what is essentially still an old school hardcore record. There are some really odd tangents as well – whilst the album might sound like a less chuggy Hatebreed for a lot of the duration, there are moments like on the album’s title track where things shift into psychedelic rock territory, for example. Despite all its cleverness though, The Last Parade doesn’t quite get the blood pumping the way a hardcore album should. It certainly has some good grooves here and there, but the band doesn’t really have the aggressive punch that their contemporaries have. It desperately lacks a real sense of energy and the kind of rousing anthems that are essential for the genre. The band have potential, and lots of creativity, but The Last Parade isn’t nearly as compelling or entertaining as it should be despite its cleverness.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Albums, Hardcore/Metalcore, Quick.Play Reviews, Dead By Wednesday