DUBLIN DEATH PATROL – Death Sentence

September 11th, 2012 by jason

Mascot

Self-proclaimed thrash supergroup, Dublin Death Patrol finally hit the racks with their follow up to 2007’s debut DDP – 4 Life. A lot has happened in the intervening five years, but remarkably, the band’s main protagonists have come together again and Death Sentence for the most part hangs together as a competent, well-crafted and insistent piece of prime-time thrash.

The band’s main axis is the vocal partnership between long-time Testament howler, Chuck Billy and ex-Exodus (also formative Testament) frontman, Steve Souza. I remember seeing Testament’s controversial show back in the day and Billy’s stage presence was compelling. On Death Sentence he once again sets a commanding standard, forcefully urging us to ‘remember to dismember’ on the excellent Macabre Candor, a track that has a chug to die for. My problem is the interchange with Steve Souza’s rasping, slightly deranged vocal delivery. On the otherwise excellent opener, Mind Sewn Shut, the contrast between the two styles has more jar than a Mothers Union chutney stall. Messy. Dehumanize suffers a similar fate. Chuck simply blasts Steve away in the trade-offs and vocal lick exchanges. And yet there are glimpses of what can be. On tracks like Welcome To Hell and Butcher Baby the two gel in a seamless gutteral onslaught.

The production is clean, the guitars are razor sharp and the grind is urgent. Despite the in-your-face track titles, there is nothing too sinister or challenging amongst these solidly penned slabs of metal. Indeed Blood Angel and Butcher Baby rip out of the speakers and betray, I kid you not, positively catchy hooks. Imagine yourself back in a sweaty, sticky floored Marquee Club circa 1991 and this will press all the right buttons.

***1/2

Dave Atkinson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)