Album Review: Death By Stereo - Death Is My Only Friend

Death By Stereo started out as a hardcore punk band in Orange County, California. However times changes and sometimes bands move along with the times. This is something that could be said for Death By Stereo's new album, 'Death Is My Only Friend', a record that leans toward a more edgier, metal sound.

However opening track 'Opening Destruction' and 'I Sing For You' manage to combine both hardcore punk with metal, as the latter makes use of gang vocals whilst keeping the bands metal edge.

Whereas 'The Last Song' wouldn't sound out of place on any rock radio station with a slow melodic chorus, soaring guitar solo and even strings entering towards the end. 'Bread For The Dead' is fierce with thrashing guitars and has an impressive guitar solo but on the whole, its been done before, if not better.

That could be said for the most of this record; with 15 songs coming at the 50 minute mark, you lose interest around about the half way point. As song after song contains the same, predictable metalcore. Even though the bands musical performance is impressive but still not original.

'Forever And A Day' manages to brings proceedings to a screeching halt, a painful piano ballad that just makes you want to press the skip button immediately. On the other hand there is 'D.B.S.F.U.' a slightly lighter, punk rock track that brings a change to a record, that seems to be filled with doom and gloom. Whilst 'Fear Of A Brown Planet' sees a return to the bands fast paced, hardcore punk origins but it comes to late to save this record.

'Death Is My Only Friend' comes across a repetitive, slightly unoriginal record with one to many songs that outlive their stay. As Death By Stereo have transformed themselves into a predictable metalcore band, that will likely be lost in the shuffle with many others like them. Whether or not the band are in an identity crisis is unsure of, as they seem to have lost touch with their roots, and have become a band that are on the whole, rather generic.

2/5

'Death Is My Only Friend' by Death By Stereo is available now on Serjical Strike Records

Official Website

Sean Reid