Deadlock - Bizarro World

Discodeath. This is what the German metal band DEADLOCK describes their sound as. I find this, as of yet, unheard of genre perfectly fitting to the sound of their newest album “Bizarro World”. As they have done in the past, DEADLOCK manages to combine elements of all around the musical spectrum into one giant cohesive piece of musical artwork.
“Bizarro World” starts off with a classic rich sounding guitar and drum pounding that these guys do so well. The intro track “Virus Jones” is a perfect way to introduce the band to new listeners as it contains everything that is DEADLOCK – epic choruses matched by Sabine Weniger’s angelic vocals, heavy as hell verses filled with the vocal prowess of singer Joe Prem, and of course the killer heavy music that they play to a T.
Since DEADLOCK is so good at throwing curve balls at the listener, they immediately follow the hard hitting intro track with the bands first single titled “State of Decay”. This song is very mainstream radio friendly as it consists entirely of Weniger’s clean vocals and a solid song structure to match. The band also includes their signature synth/keyboard work in this track as it blends with the catchy guitar lines and heart melting leads performed by Sebastian Reichl and Gert Rymen.
One thing I have learned while listening to DEADLOCK is that you never know what they are going to throw at you and you can’t get a grasp of their music by listening to only short bits – you really have to hear it all from beginning to end. As they have shown in past efforts with including even rap passages and a saxophone, these guys are at it again with surprises. Just when you are beginning to be serenaded by Weniger’s vocals on “Falling Skywards”, the song abruptly cuts to a heavy breakdown revolving around yet another unique synth part that is matched with the heavy vocals of Prem, only to once again return to the soothing sounds of Weniger’s voice.
After having been familiar with all of DEADLOCK’s releases, it is clear that “Bizarro World” is their most mature and confident release as a single band unit. This is portrayed beautifully on songs like “You Left Me Dead” as Weniger and Prem brilliantly play off of each other’s vocals coming together as a complete and singular entity. It is a perfect blend of brutal heaviness along with the soft vocals of Weniger. Reichl’s song writing is also showcased in having very well structured song parts that serve the good of the song as a whole rather than highlight an individual’s talents. The good ‘ol adage “Quality over Quantity” certainly applies to much of Reichl’s songwriting done on this album.
“Renegade” is by far my favorite song on the album thus far as I think this song is the culmination of what DEADLOCK is. I say this because of the wild ride this song will take you on. It starts as a slower and more somber song consisting primarily of Weniger’s voice and a piano. Once you start grooving to this, they immediately throw heavy ass vocals at you with an awesome techno sounding synth part in the background that adds such a unique layer to their sound – all right before bringing it back to the piano/Weniger duet. “Renegade”, as well as the entire album as a whole, packs a punch with every single element that makes up DEADLOCK. (9/10)

Devin Walsh

Band info: www.myspace.com/deadlock
Label info: www.lifeforcerecords.com
For fans of: Evanescence, We Are The Fallen, Caliban, Heaven Shall Burn