Formed in the winter of 2013, Dead Quiet was created from the ashes of singer/guitarist Kevin Keegan’s since dismantled band, Barn Burner (Metal Blade). Keegan’s songs were brought to the experienced hands of Vancouver musicians, Jason Dana (Bend Sinister, Karen Foster), Brock Macinnis (Anciients, Tobeatic) and Mike Grossnickle (Hashteroid). Having already released one album, Dead Quiet are now back with their second, having now also added full-time keyboard player Justin Hagberg (3 Inches of Blood) to the line-up. While doom is obviously an important influence, the guys have also brought in many classic rock stylings as well, so much so that this really does sound as if it could have been recorded 45 years ago instead of the current day.
The keyboard sounds are very much of the Hammond Organ, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hagberg has been spending many of his spare time listening to both Jon Lord and Vincent Crane, as he has managed to capture a very similar feel to those masters of the instrument. There is a naïve simplicity to many of the songs that really capture that British Seventies heavy metal vibe, back when the terms HM and HR were almost interchangeable and before the sub genres spawned sub sub genres of their own. Given how important the organ is to the overall sound I would guess that this album has seen a significant shift from the debut, and the groove contained within the tunes is quite infectious.
Overall, this is a fun album, and while certainly not breaking any new ground is one that an old metalhead like me can enjoy and smile while it is playing. The PR company have provided a list of bands whose fans will also enjoy Dead Quiet, and they’ve got it fairly bang on. So, if you like the following, then possibly this is a band for you: High on Fire, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Electric Wizard, Mastodon, Metallica, Deep Purple, The Sword, Corrosion of Conformity, Queens of the Stone Age, Graveyard, Witchcraft, Pallbearer.
