DEAD HEAD — Swine Plague (review)

DEAD HEAD — Swine Plague album cover Album · 2017 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Swine Plague" is the 6th full-length studio album by Dutch death/thrash metal act Dead Head. The album was released through Hammerheart Records in June 2017. It´s the successor to "Depression Tank" from 2009, so it´s been 8 years since the last studio album release by the band. Dead Head have never been known as the most prolific act, when it comes to output frequency, and six albums since forming in 1989 really isn´t much, but Dead Head have always been uncompromising that way, and have only released albums, when they felt the time was right and they had written enough quality material. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as lead vocalist/bassist Ralph de Boer has been replaced by a returning Tom van Dijk. van Dijk was the lead vocalist/bassist on the band´s first four studio albums, but did not appear on "Depression Tank (2009)".

Stylistically "Swine Plague" sounds unmistakably like Dead Head. Predominantly fast-paced and aggressive death/thrash with a rabid dog snarling vocalist in front. The quality of the material is generally high although not all tracks are equally memorable. It´s the frenetic intensity of the performances and the caustic aggression which are the real assets here though, and on those parameters Dead Head deliver one hell of a show. One relentlessly aggressive thrash metal track after another is what the listener is exposed to.

"Swine Plague" features a clear, powerful, and heavy sound production, which suits the material perfectly, and upon conclusion it´s another quality death/thrash release by Dead Head. "Depression Tank (2009)" was a real treat and one of the band´s best releases, and to my ears "Swine Plague" doesn´t quite reach those standards, but it´s close. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Traumatica Metalcore
NO GUERRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Within the Visceria Death Metal
NECKBREAKKER
Buy this album from MMA partners
EP 1 Sludge Metal
CHAOTIC AGGRESSION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Songs of Blood and Mire Black Metal
SPECTRAL WOUND
Buy this album from MMA partners
Everything Hurts And I'm Dying Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NEGATIVE BLISS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us