Despite being around since 1991 and with 6 full-length releases under their belt, Germany’s apparent death metal stalwarts Dead are new to me. But after hearing Hardnaked…but Dead, I can’t say I’m too bothered by the fact that I have missed out on their 20 year history.

With a tongue in cheek grooving sense of poo, booze and sex filled death metal, one band instantly comes to mind: Pungent Stench. Maybe with some latter Blood Duster. So if you were never a fan of ‘the Stench’ there’s not much you’ll like about Dead. With song titles like “A Beer”, “Tits”, “Possessed Soldiers of Luv”, “Cock a Hoop”, “Perfumes of Doom”‘ (a song about farts) and full of suitable movie samples (from Evil Dead, South Park etc), there’s no doubt Dead are not taking themselves too seriously. Sadly, the music hardly makes the humor worth it.

Having not heard any of the band’s previous five albums, I can’t directly compare Hardnaked…but Dead to anything. As a standalone album, there’s only a few redeeming moments amid the forced and outdated hues. Some of the samples are entertaining the first few listens (“A Beer”) and the tracks “Wall of Flush” and “Possessed Soldiers of Luv” have some nice melody lines and riffs. “Perfumes of Doom” could be the album’s best track with a dirty southern doom groove. But on the whole, the album just never really satisfies on a humorous or musical level. I know the band isn’t trying to reinvent death metal, and are not taking themselves seriously, but at some point there has to be a payoff for the listener above and beyond a group of middle aged Germans dicking about in a studio with their instruments and some of their favorite movie and TV samples. I mean as funny as it was when it came out, do we really need an entire song about South Park’s “Eek, A Penis!” episode? (“Small But Slim”).

I tried to Like Hardnaked…but Dead more, as I really like FDA Rekotz and old school death metal, and it’s possible that had this album been released in 1991, it might have been more relevant. As it stands, now, Dead should probably call it a day.

 

 

 

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