Fort Collins-based Dead Man’s Alibi keeps a post-grunge metal sound while tossing in some blues on their debut, self-titled EP.
They have a classic early 2000’s sound you’d expect from that era, with some Alice in Chains mixed in, on tracks like “Hole In A Hat,” and “Lowly Saint” which feature roaring guitars and rowdy drum grooves. The vocals show some grit but shy away from the screaming and growling most bands these days employ. As you might expect they have epic and screaming guitar solos that call up Judas Priest, but what makes Dead Man’s Alibi cool is the blues influence in their sound.
Their opening track “Broke Down Blue” features a southern rock guitar riff that could open a drama like Sons of Anarchy. The track opens with twangy arpeggios, loosely reminiscent of a Boston song, that might make listeners assume it’s straight blues until the rhythm guitar roars in. “Needy Breed” opens with chugging that Muddy Waters could have played, but even with an underlying acoustic guitar, the metal is prevalent, with fat riffs and blaring cymbal crashes. It’s like Lynyrd Skynyrd went metal.
Many great rock artists incorporate the blues in their music, and even bands like the Rolling Stones went to the lengths of writing an entire blues album before slapping on “Sympathy for the Devil.” So it’s cool for contemporary artists to follow the lead, even in the metal world. It’s hard to find true contemporary metal bands but it can’t be denied that Dead Man’s Alibi’s comes close.
