Rock. And Roll. Pure and simple.
MV has never met Dead Lord, but we’d have much to discuss. Take singer Hakim Krim. Not only does he have probably the best facial hair in rock n roll, he seems to have the same views as we do on modern music.
Yeah, we know it makes you sound like your dad, but it’s also true. Modern music (mostly) sucks. Loads of kids in skinny jeans screaming at you, no thanks. Oh, and man buns – that means you Gareth Bale – they are awful too.
Allow Hakim to explain: “I guess something happened during the ‘80s and onward.” He says. ”[our music] just sounds more like the way it actually sounds live. The modern way of glazing everything in stupidity is not really what we’re after. Same way man buns are stupid, so is the modern rock sound.”
Preach on brother.
All of which explains, with far more skill the type of music there is on “Dead Ignorance”. Carrying on pretty much where “Heads Held High” left off, what they have done, in fairness, is make everything just a little bit better than before.
Which is why “Ignorance” comes in with such intent, which is why “Too Late” sounds like it’s the most ebullient thing in the world – and anything that sounds this much like a Thin Lizzy song has to be good, right?
Phil’s men are a clear influence here – as they should be on any hard rock worth their salt – but this is not some warmed-over rehash. Instead “…..Trust” crackles with a life, a warmth and a clear love for what it does.
Happy to get all laid back too, the bluesy “Leave Me Be” is the sound of a band happily watching the world go by, while “The Glitch” begins with the thought “mind bending, deep endeavour” you imagine drugs are involved. Whatever there is a slightly disconcerting air to the licks here.
Appropriately “Kill Them All” is heavier and the gang backing vocals are fun, “Never Die” with its slower and more deliberate air, would no doubt get called stoner if it was an American band with the desert in their hearts. Dead Lord don’t strike you as the type of band to care less about such things.
Not quite the hedonistic rock n roll par-tae that some bands would have this descend into either, and that’s why “In Ignorance….” is far better than most who try this sort of thing. “Part Of Me” begins with a touch of harmonica, and is stripped down acoustics done right, while “They!” with its twin guitar attack, is an absolute highlight.
“In Ignorance We Trust” actually saves its best for last. Not the type of album – and not the type of band to exit stage left meekly, instead “Darker Times” is rushing down the fast lane with your girlfriend in the passenger seat. What’s more is it isn’t going to apologise for anything either.
There is a line in that song that sums up Dead Lord in a roundabout way. “when opinion is mightier than fact” sings Krim, “there’s nothing we can do”. A better condemnation of the modern world you will not find. But where there are albums like “In Ignorance We Trust” there is hope. And that is not fake news.
Rating 9/10
