Apart from a title that can stop one in their tracks and lyricism that arrives in devastatingly beautiful waves, Dead Spells have been able to fully back up their charm with sound. The dark post punk band from Seattle skillfully incorporates elements from a variety of inspirations to create a sound that is, to put it mildly, impactful.
Their latest EP, No Hope In A Dying World, is a striking five-track release, bleak in theme, and undeniably beautiful in execution. It captures the band at their most focused, distilling dread, anger, and sorrow into very well crafted songs.
Dirt Lot stands out as one of the EP’s most affecting moments. The song addresses homelessness, displacement, and a system that continuously fails to defend those who are most in need, confronting a place that has been turned insurmountable for the very people who built their lives there. It's not hopelessness in an abstract way but achingly genuine and grounded.
Psychedelia, grunge, and noise rock influences have been worked finely into Dead Spells' dark post punk. Guitars smear, which is indicative of what they have to offer, and the overall mood lingers densely without tipping into excess. The end result is mesmerizing.
Band photo by RAS_Visual
ZR