Blog Post
Dead Man’s Whiskey – “In the Storm”
Allister Spence • Sep 28, 2023
Album Review
“In the Storm” is the follow up to Dead Man’s Whiskey’s debut album “Under the Gun.” While six years is a long time between releases in a young bands career Dead Man’s Whiskey haven’t been sat on their backsides. During that time, they’ve released the physical version of “Under the Gun” in 2019, toured incessantly, played at Download, opened the Stonedead Festival in 2021 and headed out on the high seas on a Kiss Kruise. Ahead of the albums release they played their own “Masquerade” tour earlier this year and performed at the Steelhouse festival. Busy guys.
“In the Storm” finds Nico Rogers (Vocals), Billy Kons (Lead Guitar), Elliott D’Alvarez (Rhythm Guitar), James Titley (Bass), and Charlie Gray (Drums) delivering an excellent collection of modern hard rockers. There’s eleven riff driven rockers plus the acoustic and delicate intro that kicks proceedings off.
Steering the us into the storm is the production team of Colin Clancy and Chris Richardson. The much sought after and highly regarded duo have built their reputation on their work with Those Damn Crows, Trivium, Machine Head, and Massive Wagons amongst others.
One of the big pluses of DMW (can I call them that?) is that they already understand that good pacing, and mixing up the sounds on an album makes it more interesting for the listener. It is much more likely to keep them coming back to listen to the album repeatedly. DMW demonstrate their knack for this by the time we’re just four tracks into “In the Storm.”
The album opens with the already mentioned “Intro.” There’s barely time to get into the acoustic vibe though. After a mere one and half minutes “Masquerade” blasts it way from the speakers. This is a track with one purpose and that’s to get you up off your feet and fists pumping, air guitars riffing and heads shaking. It’s a cracking anthem, radio friendly and big chorused in the way of say Massive Wagons or Wayward Sons, Live, it’s going to have audiences storming to the front on the tour.
“Raven’s Call” is up next, and we have stepped to the left of the radio friendly “Masquerade.” The only way I can describe this track would be to imagine a swamped out southern Black Sabbath. There’s some excellent bass guitar from James Titley on this track too. He drives the track on, and the guitars are layered on top.
There’s an element of grunge lurking within “Who I Am.” Not the stripped back grunge of Nirvana though. This is a song that would feel right at home amongst the works of Soundgarden, Audioslave, Pearl Jam and Live. This is grunge with balls. It’s a change of direction that allows Nico Rogers the chance to stretch out on his vocals and remind us just how good a singer he is.
That’s a point that has its t’s crossed and I’s dotted on “Do or Die.” DMW showed they could handle the big ballads on “Make Me Proud” on “Under the Gun.” “Do or Die” is just a good. It eases itself in, not rushing to get to the chorus. It’s a definite highlight on the album and the electrifying guitar solo from Billy Kons just seals the deal.
“Island of the Storm” blows us back into classic rock territory. It’s another song that comes in gently and builds to a quite mad but brilliant guitar solo. It reeks of prime Eddie Van Halen to me and is worth repeated plays just to hear the guitar play.
Almost halfway through and DMW get sleazy and dirty, or at least the guitars do. “Fight To Survive” is another anthem. We’ve moved back into heavier mode and Charlie Gray lays down some thunderous drums. There’s a bit of an 80’s vibe going down here, and I could imagine Krusher introducing this one on the “Power Hour” or some such show stuck on late night TV.
One of DMW’s strengths is their talent for hook laden catchy hard rock. It’s no easy skill and often a band that hits on a sound run it into the ground. DMW carry that ability across the different influences then they distil it into their own sound. “Diggin’ for Fame” is another example of that talent. Some glorious riffing between Billy Kons and Elliott D’Alvarez will have you reminiscing for another elemental album as they give the track the feel of Thin Lizzy in the John Sykes / Scott Gorham period of “Thunder and Lightning.”
There’s no shocks from here on. DMW have set out their stall and they make sure they finish the album as strongly as they started it. James Titley’s bass takes us into the catchy, almost pop “What’s Your Name,” before we get another ballad in “Closer to You.” It’s a track that would drop right into any power ballad collection and would raise its head high no matter what classics were placed in there with it.
Unlike a lot of bands, the ballad isn’t the end. DMW want to go out with volume screwed all the way up crashing waves of sound over the listener. Titley’s drums and the guitars launch the band into “Time.” It’s a galloping rocker with soaring vocals from Rogers and send the band sailing over the storm and into “Fear is Cold.” The only way to describe this track is to say it swaggers, it grabs you and the hook will not let you go,
Then it’s silence. Just under an hour of some of the best hard rock I’ve heard this year. There’s really nothing to find fault with here if you love classic hard rock. Clancy and Richardson give the record the right amount of polish without taking away any of the band’s character. DMW play and perform at a level that is so far beyond “Under the Gun” that you have no doubt that not a moment of the time between the two albums has been wasted. It’s blown me away just how far the band’s songwriting and performance has come on. Fingers crossed that they come through the storm and keep moving forward in the manner they have here.
“In the Storm” is out 29th September 2023. For the latest show announcements and merch offers, head to deadmanswhiskey.co.uk
You can catch DMW out on the road early October in support of the album. You can see them at:
Sat 7th Oct 2023 – Boston Music Room, London UK
Sat 11th Nov 2023 – Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend UK
Sun 12th Nov 2023 – B2, Norwich UK
Tue 14th Nov 2023 – The Station, Cannock UK
Wed 15th Nov 2023 – The Cluny 2, Newcastle UK
Thur 16th Nov 2023 – Audio, Glasgow UK
Sat 18th Nov 2023 – Santiago, Leeds UK
Sun 19th Nov 2023 – The Waterloo, Blackpool UK
Wed 22nd Nov 2023 – Fuel, Cardiff UK
Thur 23rd Nov 2023 – Underground, Swindon UK
Fri 24th Nov 2023 – Zanzibar, Liverpool UK
Sat 25th Nov 2023 – Surburbia, Southampton
