Deafened to Death is a hardcore band from Friesland, and started out as a side project during Covid from members of the band Kletus. Their debut album Deafened To Death was released on June 21st, so it was time for a review.
Deafened to Death is again a band that’s hard to find online. So far we’ve only learned that the band started out during Covid, and that some of their members are part of Kletus, but that’s about it. Luckily, we’ll be having an interview with these guys soon, so more on that later. Let’s just dive into their debut album.
Make Do
Deafened to Death starts off with the short intro track Make Do. Short seems to be the theme of the release; it’s hardcore, so we didn’t expect tracks of more than 3 minutes. But there’s only one track over 3 minutes, the rest of the tracks is around the 2-minute mark. Hence we see 12 tracks on this album, with a playtime of just 22 minutes. Make Do is basically a bit of noise, a long intro with some guitar squeals and a scream, to ease us into the first real track, Deafened To Death.
D.T.D.
The album kicks off with a fast-paced riff, although it quickly turns into a more groovy vibe. And before you’re really in the groove, the track has shifted to the next one. This is the type of album that you just need to listen to in one go; there are no real tracks. It’s just one, long, track with different riffs and themes. It all flows together.
And with an almost seamless transition, we go on with Poison. The fast-paced riffs we first heard in Deafened To Death return with The Surface. The Surface is also on one of the few tracks has an ending to it. A bit of thrash and deathmetal influences seem to seep through in the tracks, with I Will Hunt You Down and Brother as examples. I Wil Hunt You Down starts with some samples, to add another layer to the track. It also feels more like a deathmetal track due to the vocals.
That trend continues with Brother, in both riffs as well as vocals. That makes it my favorite song on the EP. Oh, and it’s squeal central, for the guitar lovers among us. And speaking of guitar lovers: Dogma has a short but fast guitar solo right at the start, and Wise As Serpents, Innocent As Doves has some more if you’re looking for some technical parts.
Wise As Serpents, Innocent As Doves mightalso be the most groovy headbangable track on the album. This track features some guitar solos and breakdowns, and heavy headbang riffs. But DTD is a very diverse band, so Domesticate turns in a different direction with more of a punk vibe.
Put To Rest might be the heaviest track on the album. It’s also taking us back to more of a death metal vibe again. Hardcore bands usually have a very clear message, and Put To Rest is one of those tracks with a clear message. And with that, we’re already at the final track of the album: All That I Am. This track is probably a good summary of the album, with interesting riffs, fast-paced moshy parts, headbang riffs, and of course, lyrics with a message to scream along to.
Final Thoughts
Deafened to Death is a short, but packed-with-energy introduction to Deafened To Death. I can only imagine what a live show of these guys would be like. My only comment, but I guess that’s the same with most hardcore bands, is that the tracks are a little short. All That I Am is probably my favorite track, so if you really can’t spare 22 minutes to listen to the full thing, just listen to that.
You can find Deafened to Death on Instagram.
