ALBUM REVIEW: FISSION – Dead Poet Society
As the flurry of new music of 2024 gathers more and more pace, we come across the latest offering of Massachusetts-based alt-metallers DEAD POET SOCIETY. Titled FISSION, it is the band’s first release in three years following 2021’s -!- and it marks the launch of a new era for the band that shows a lot of promise. They are well and truly a good representation of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”; they’ve found a style that works and they’ve stuck with it even at the behest of falling victim to a good chunk of the album all sounding the same.
Opening the album is 5:29:45, a slow and grungy number that has a wonderful grooviness to it, and once that starts it doesn’t stop, becoming one of the strongest aspects of the album as a whole. The distorted guitar riffs are great earworms that stick with you for a bit and the same goes for the harmonising vocals in the chorus. Once you’ve heard them, it’ll be all that’s stuck in your head for a good day at least. Running In Circles which comes in next ups the tempo, once again employing the infectious hooks to win over any casual listeners that would come across this album on a search for new music.
One of the stand out tracks on the record is HURT as it is here that we get something a little different as it offers a couple of subtle moments. Whilst the djenty and groovy guitars are very prominent throughout, it takes its time to build up to a grand ending rather than launching into the song at 100mph like the album does from the get go. This is also one of the key moments during the album where frontman Jack Underkofler is able to flex his ever impressive vocals which do quite a lot of the heavy lifting in making this album tick. It’s the perfect style that drives this album along and you can’t imagine any other singer doing the songs the same justice that Underkofler does.
While the three songs mentioned above do set the standard for the rest of FISSION, it does get quite hard to differentiate between tracks as the album goes on. Whilst the huge riffs and the wide range of vocals are impressive, the similarities between the songs make it hard to pay attention to the record itself, particularly from How Could I Love You? through to Uto. It’s when you get to Tipping Point that you find another of the stand out tracks of the record. A slow track sung beautifully by Underkofler, dipping in and out of falsetto throughout whilst a guitar softly strums in the background before building up to an epic crescendo, it’s easily going to be one of the stand out moments live as you can imagine an array of phones or lighters lighting up venues whilst this song plays.
Another track that also feels slightly different is My Condition. It’s a great anthem that is led by some wonderful gang vocals and propped up by the huge sounding guitars, which brings more of a pop vibe than the usual grungy riffs to the table. It’s one of the less moody sounding tracks on the album too, featuring great earworms for its chorus. It’s just a shame that that only one of the tracks on the album is like this as FISSION definitely would have benefitted from a few more light-hearted tunes. As we approach the end of the album, the record frustratingly falls back into once again sounding the same, although thankfully the musicianship of the band keeps you hooked throughout your listen as the tracks all do prove to be incredibly catchy.
Whilst FISSION is a solid effort, it just lacks that cutting edge of not willing to be a little different from previous releases by the band. At times it does feel like a tribute to bands like ROYAL BLOOD and NOTHING BUT THIEVES as they play with a similar ferocity to both of those bands with similar vocal styles and distorted instrumentals, except they do it a little bit better than both of those bands put together. If you’re a diehard fan of DEAD POET SOCIETY, you’ll absolutely love this record. But if you’re a casual music fan on the search for something new, you’ll perhaps struggle to make your way from start to finish. Whilst the repetitiveness brings it down in terms of quality, it will sound absolutely phenomenal live and will surely shake any venue these tunes are played in to its very foundations.
Rating: 7/10
FISSION is set for release on January 26th via Spinefarm Records.
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