The Dead And Living
DAMAGE (EP)
Rexius Records
Maybe it’s those long Scandinavian nights but Sweden does dark music very, very well and when it comes to inky black, things don’t get better than The Dead And Living. After a lengthy hiatus this Karlstad crew are back from the grave and ready to paint our world in monochrome shades. While many of their peers are concerned with crypts and catacombs, this quintet turn their eyes towards the nocturnal sky and send their sound into deep space with the four track EP DAMAGE. The universe’s beckoning void would seem perfect lyrical fodder for a gothic band, so it’s a surprise more haven’t launched themselves skywards, but The Dead And Living are going where no goths have been before, and in some style. Aided by a wide and expansive production, the opening (and title) track sounds absolutely boundless and weighs upon the listener with full gravitational force. Musically there are nods towards Bowie and the Sisters, but this band definitely have their own thing going on and ‘ARMY OF MANKIND’ could be no one but themselves. At just four songs DAMAGE is a fairly brief affair, but this one step for The Dead And Living is a giant leap for gothkind.
The Dead And Living – Facebook
Review by Peter Dennis.