Following their much acclaimed, third album Never Say Die (2018), Melbourne-based hard rock act DEAD CITY RUINS has announced the first hotly anticipated details about their forthcoming record! Shockwave will be released on August 19, 2022 with AFM Records. Today, the band has shared a music video for second single, “Speed Machine”.
Formed in 2012, the Australians sold their belongings and went all-in when it comes to rock ’n’ roll. Tirelessly touring the planet, the band has managed to capture the hearts of its audience gig by gig – much like Rival Sons, Monster Truck, and similar trailblazers of their generation have. They also share a list of influences with these acts, namely Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses, Zeppelin. Their goal: bring rock ’n’ roll back to the people!
Following the previously-released high voltage appetizer “Preacher”, which also marks the debut for new vocalist Steve Welsh, the band has just premiered a new song taken of their upcoming Shockwave! Before joining DEAD CITY RUINS, Welsh was mostly active on YouTube, where he dedicated himself to imitating a plethora of singers. There’s one clip of him singing the twelve songs from Alice In Chains’ “Dirt“ in twelve (!) different styles; ranging from James Hetfield to Ronnie James Dio.
“Steve is out there giving our typical sound a fresh new edge, which is pretty exciting“, guitarist Sean Blanchard muses. Welsh himself elaborates: “These guys have given me the warmest welcome; I couldn’t have wished for better bandmates. They took me in and let me be part of something they
had been building for such a long time, all the while giving me everything I need.“
Watch the brand new music video for “Speed Machine” now streaming here:
“What began as a rough demo, quickly became one of our favourite tracks on the album. Speed Machine is written from the hearts of true Aussie rev-heads,” says Welsh. “You got the power, now it’s time to go FAST. Crank it up and spin the wheels, Speed Machine will put your pedal to the metal!!”
As the first single releases of Shockwave prove, DEAD CITY RUINS don’t just have a penchant for songwriting, but also arrangements and the right energy. There’s no doubt that these Australians absolutely LIVE Rock ’n’ Roll and Shockwave will open plenty of doors. At least that’s what Tommy Cain sees in the band’s future after the pandemic: „We want to tour as soon as we possibly can. When the world re-opens, we will be there to give the best Rock ’n’ Roll show that Europe has seen since the lockdown and you better believe it! The determination we have for our fans and music has never been so bold. The situation might have live music by the throat, but we will overcome it and live as we once rocked!”
Shockwave was mixed by US-producer Gene Freeman aka Machine, who has already worked with the likes of Lamb Of God, Clutch, and Crobot. “That was a lot of fun,“ Blanchard reminisces. “We spent a full week doing pre-production. Once we had the demos down and knew where we wanted it to go, Machine picked everything apart and put it back together while keeping our ideas intact. There were a few intense moments, but when it comes to pushing the band and turning the songs into the best versions of themselves, no one does a better job.“
Slated for a release on August 19, 2022 via AFM Records, the pre-sale of Shockwave is now available at THIS LOCATION!
