Dead - The Laughing Shadow Review

Dead – The Laughing Shadow Review: A Instrumental/Doom Metal band from the United States or Australia. October 4th 2022, the band released their latest studio album The Laughing Shadow, The album was released through Forbidden Place Records, WeEmptyRooms and Wantage and promoted through Press Release Shred Strom PR

Dead – The Laughing Shadow Review opens and discusses the FIRST SIN: THE STRINGS/KEYS. Which consists of heavy fuzz/distorted rhythmical experimentation…

Let’s talk about the SECOND SIN: THE VOCALS, which involves possession of instrumental vocalization

Moving on to the THIRD SIN: THE PERCUSSIONS, which delves into the vast world of the magnitude of slow (massive) pounding rhythmic metal beats/strikes and patterns

In our following discussion about the band’s musical work, we will focus on the FOURTH SIN, the overall DISCUSSION of the album. Soon as the listener places the vinyl on the turntable and presses the play button, which welcomes the listener with the delighted return to good old days of the vinyl of Side A & B, where the listener would slap on the vinyl -sit back, relax with the music flowing in the background, while the track (vinyl cover/insert) list was in the palm of the listener’s hands and not digital there for the listener.

As one continues their journey, where the listener will encounter something that isn’t straightforward -but a mind-bending pure instrumental experimentation-genre-defying complex release -music that’s full of character, fresh, powerful, and massive -where one will find and encounter each piece is different, strongly composed and arranged -thus capturing various moments and expressions (arranged/co-side with each piece) with each piece, such as capturing multiple moods, tempos, sounds and atmosphere –thus creating this heavy/sludgy -yet somewhat stoner -but doomy and morose atmosphere of instrumentation which co-fits the band’s music concept of grief and to deal with the uncertainty and anguish of the years of pandemic lockdowns.

THE LAUGHING SHADOW is provided and delivered by excellent devilmanship that utilises various elements of everything from rhythmical experimentation artistry of modern progressive metal/rock, the slow-to-mid tempo, and heavily distorted, groove-laden bass-heavy sound of stoner, crushing levels of the heaviness of thick fuzzy guitars with additional clean acoustic interludes and drum artistry of slow (massive) pounding rhythmic beats/strikes and patterns, which consist of the slow military death-march beats and various tones and moods.

At the same time, the listener will encounter some jazz playing within the music, which adds some extra depth doom, and gloom to the musical spectrum while adding (mentioned before) multiple tones, moods and atmospheres to the musical spectrum.

While the vocals, which are replaced with possession of instrumental vocalisation work of the guitar and drum work -depending on the listener’s ears, mind and interaction with the music -the music kind plays with the listener’s mind a bit – (for myself) it feels like the drums are the primary vocalisations with the guitar as backing vocals.

However, the listener will think differently -whatever the listener’s thoughts and interaction with the musical spectrum -one could say the whole piece is one vocalisation of magnitude Instrumental.

I wanted to share our thoughts and MEMORABILIA on the FIFTH SIN. The whole lot (from start to finish) -captures the essence of the vinyl days with its Side A & B.

Let’s discuss the ARTWORK of the SIXTH SIN. A throwback to the good old days of the inner sleeve of a vinyl -classic and unusual

Finally, closing the review with the last sin, the SEVENTH SIN, the DISRELISH. With nothing to disrelish within the musical world of DEAD. This concludes the Dead – The Laughing Shadow Review.

The Laughing Shadow Song-listing: