Album Review: Without Andrew – Dead On Arrival

I’m alway’s amazed that no matter how many concerts I attend, people and promoters I meet and independent labels I contact there are always more bands to be discovered in my local scene. Manchester punks Without Andrew are another band that have emerged from my local DIY punk scene, they have now released their sophomore album, Dead on Arrival, that is now live on all online stores and streaming platforms. Dead on Arrival follows on from their debut album, Let’s Boo-Boo, and is the first to feature their current four piece line up. 

Dead On Arrival opens with Lost Souls, whatever I was expecting from the oddly named Without Andrew it wasn’t this, a perfectly produced and anthemic meeting of stadium rock and melodic hardcore, this is followed up by Vault 13, a track that has the feel of the Alkaline Trio and the later recordings by The Misfits. They lay their political cards on the table with the superb Fuck You! You’re A Racist, a track that brings a touch of ska into the mix, but for the most part Dead On Arrival is a polished and anthemic nine tracks of punk attitude that is delivered with the bounce of the finest pop punk and finished off with a veneer of stadium rock flair.

Without Andrew channel the best elements from the likes of Green Day and My Chemical Romance, they pair this with heavyweight riffs and machine gun drumming whilst clean melodic vocals soar over the flawless soundtrack. Without Andrew are a band that dwell in the darker side of the punk scene, and I can guarantee that fans of the bands I’ve previously mentioned will find an album that will hit the spot. From the charged opening to the emotive closing track, Burn Me Up, Dead On Arrival is a polished album that delivers on every level, it’s also one that possesses the kind of cross genre appeal that should see Without Andrew hitting bigger stages in the future.

Without Andrew‘s Facebook page is here and their Twitter account is here

Dead On Arrival is available via Spotify here and iTunes here and on CD here