If the name Dead Lakes evokes a still and arid place, we’re far from stagnation in this case. New Language is traversed by various surprising currents, such as thermal springs where rare and furtive cold currents flow.
It’s hard to believe that only two years have passed since the release of Nothing Is Sacred, their previous EP on Pale Chord Music. The sound of the Seattle band has been refined, and the production quality is worthy of the albums of Bring Me The Horizon, PVRIS or Issues. Would Dead Lakes be one of those bands in the metal family that we call posers because they dare to be more pop, even venturing sometimes into R&B territory? If so, its daring members don’t seem to care for a second.
The refined and silky guitar tones caress the ear, adopting a distinctly post-rock sound on some pieces, or travelling towards the clear, ethereal, and piercing. The quieter parts of the songs create ephemeral moments that leak like drops of water and slowly pearl on the skin. Sumner Peterson’s wonderfully plaintive, high-pitched voice is reminiscent of the singers of I See Stars or I Prevail, and blends well with the moods created. On the lyrical side, the blond martyr addresses the certain vacuity of social networks on “SMS Happiness”, while “Paradise” makes the case for acceptance and self-discovery in spite of futile norms and social pressure. Nevertheless, the tone is often optimistic, without any watering down or empty sloganeering. All in all, Dead Lakes grab the ear and remain there, insistent, almost devouring. A true stunner!
