Dead Swans – Sleepwalkers

UK Hardcore punk act Dead Swans were in the odd position of having already been nominated for the Kerrang Award “Best British Newcomer” even before releasing their full-length debut.  I can’t only imagine the pressure to perform they must have felt when writing their formal debut, Sleepwalkers.  Thankfully the band was offered a home at Bridge Nine Records, one of today’s leading hardcore establishments, and their release stays true to the sound that originally jettisoned them to their nomination.

Dead Swans subscribe to that raw, aggressive hardcore style currently seeing resurgence in the UK.  Dead Swans have all the passion of other regional groups like Gallows, but often feature a more tightly controlled structural complexities and more experimental segments than their regional brethren.

The album kicks off with “Thinking of You,” a two minute survey introducing the listener to the band’s most frenzied mosh pit pace, to their intensely emotional breakdowns, and even a taste of the experimental riffs found deeper into the album.  The next few tracks follow a similar formula, kicking off at a gut wrenching paces and halting with some explosive breakdowns, featuring some pretty roaring screams.  But the band understands that they can’t simply build themselves on fast tempos and breakdowns.  At the end of the third track, “Ivy Arch,” Dead Swans treat the listener to the hypnotic, echoic strums of a lone guitar.  These segments are truly mesmerizing.  As a testament to their musicianship, every single time I reach this section, whether listening at home, in the car, or some random location on my iPod, I become completely engrossed and consumed in this instrumental, only to be jarringly woken up by the next song.  It’s something I’ve seldom experienced, but as soon as it happens I know that I’ve become completely at the mercy of Dead Swans.

The rest of the album carries on this formula, and while repetitive, doesn’t exhaust the formula.  The melodies remain fractured, seamlessly shifting between chaos and breakdowns, leaving the listener always anticipating, but never quite knowing where Sleepwalkers will move next.  Right smack in the middle of the album sits the cool, subdued, atmospheric post-hardcore outing, “Winter Overture.”  A continually advancing guitar, smears of distortion, and lingering melodies essentially provide the album with a bridge that helps define Dead Swans as more than just another hardcore band.

Granted, it took a few listens before realizing Dead Swans wasn’t your standard fare, and some listeners, especially those with a firmer hardcore foundation that me, will likely be less generous in their verdict.  But there’s a lot to like here.  Dead Swans aren’t the first band to drift between influences, ISIS has been doing it for years and on a much grander scale.  But they have captured this grand essence concisely, packing a journey comparable to those hour long treks found in ISIS albums like Wavering Radiant into just over 28 minutes.  For a hardcore band, Dead Swans show a good deal of finesse, making them an enjoyable listen with a promising future.  Fans of hardcore should certainly keep these guys on their radar.