Dead Will Rise bids farewell to vocalist with massive show
By Dani Purcell, Staff Writer
March 13, 2008 | noon
Athens tech-metal champions Dead Will Rise have dominated the local alternative music scene for years. This Friday the band plans to play at The Union as a farewell to one of its most important components – its vocalist.
Dead Will Rise formed in late 2003, and, after vocalist Jordan Holland departs from his long journey with the band, guitarist Douglas Cherryholmes will be the last of its founding members.
The band has experienced member shifts and several replacements over the course of its existence, said guitarist Tom Owens, who played bass for DWR before switching to guitar. Although the band has survived a handful of ex-drummers, this five-piece still remains cohesive.
Dead Will Rise commands attention and a certain level of disarray from its audiences. A 2007 house show erupted in a basement-wide mosh pit, where various show-goers sprayed cans of beer across the small space, drenching a majority of attendees. A spring 2007 show ended similarly as dancers slid across the beer-soaked floor space, resulting in the audio and physical cacophony often associated with DWR’s live sets.
Chaos matches well with the band’s seemingly endless energy reservoir. Owens and Cherryholmes often switch between dueling guitar parts, occasionally blending with the vocal sections.
Drummer Jimmy Watson incorporates techniques that are unique to several types of music into his drumming – double bass drumming (common to metal and speed metal), blast beats (grindcore) and breakbeats (hardcore and metalcore).
Perhaps the most notable aspect of DWR is its vocalist. Holland roars with enough guttural strength to drive small animals into burrows and the capacity to incite nightmares in small children.
In January 2008, Dead Will Rise played a show at The Union to publicly celebrate the drop of its EP, Entrepreneur, which is now available in stores worldwide. In addition to providing its listeners with a powerful ear assault, Entrepreneur was released on Twelve Gauge Records, which also houses similar acts such as Heavy Heavy Low Low and Hoods.
The tracks on Entrepreneur encompass a variety of stylistic changes as well as lyrical diversity. The track “Deliverance” deals with themes of destruction, distrust and loss.
Conversely, the title track directly criticizes the emptiness behind the social caste system and greed: “Was it worth the sacrifice to lose your dignity? / Was it worth the sacrifice to become a corporate tool? / When this all comes crashing down around you, / You'll be another stain on the pavement.”
Holland’s lyrics show a great deal of personal and social reflection, and his word choice reveals an earnest commitment to integrity and bluntness.
Despite what appears to be a hefty investment of time and energy, Holland’s days with DWR are drawing to a close. His lifestyle and the band no longer complemented each other, and the remainder of the members respected his choice.
Holland’s departure will mark a major change in DWR, but respective members are looking forward and embracing this change with a positive attitude.
“We already have a new vocalist lined up who's young, energetic, has a bunch of tour experience and is bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air into the band,” Owens said. “His work ethic and creativity have already made a positive impact on the band.”
Future singer Matt Bowling is formerly of 1931 and Rose Funeral.
Dead Will Rise is proceeding with plans of touring. The band's MySpace lists tentative tour dates in the summer. The band will conquer the east coast from New York to Florida to Texas.
“We are touring with The Heartland and Anautopsy throughout June and a hefty portion of July,” Owens said. “We are hoping to make a Canadian trip after that and then hit the west coast as August comes to an end. The Heartland are our best dudes and touring together will be a fucking blast.”
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Come say goodbye to Jordan: Dead Will Rise play with Forged in Flame, To Kill or Cure, Go Analog! and In Love With Last Night Friday, Mar. 14, at 8 p.m. at The Union.