I already know that I am going to mention the Suicide Machines a lot in this review. But in my defense, I would have never have actively pursued an album only really distributed in Japan if it wasn’t for SM, so bear with me here.

Dan Lukacinsky doesn't run from his past. Sure, he moved to the mysterious Far East after the dissolution of the Suicide Machines. Indeed, while I was trying to track down the One Thought Moment’s debut through rickety promotional web pages full of Japanese characters, the only English phrases were “One Thought Moment” and “Suicide Machines.” Deaf in the Dead Zone doesn’t stray far from Lukancinsky’s previous band, but don’t be looking for ska riffs -- this band definitely has its own flavor.

The album kicks off with “White Ashes,” perhaps the most Suicide Machines-like song on the album, complete with pitch-perfect harmonies between Dan and (I assume) Mas Yazawa. The two prove to be a capable pair, switching lead and backing vocals on all the songs. The band shifts to a mid-tempo in “Deaf in the Dead Zone” and Yazama takes over leads. Unfortunately, a few songs plod along with uncreative and boring structures, namely “Long Wave” and “Jet Stream Tracers.” The boys wisely choose to end the album on a cover of Snuff’s “All You Need” and do the tune justice.

While the guitars are full, much like heavier SM songs were, the recordings seems to be lacking a crispness that would put make this effort especially memorable. A few of the songs run together in this album, where every song is played with a sense of urgency so none carry the complete importance it deserves.

Overall, the album is a satisfactory answer to “What happened to that guy?” While this would make for a weak Suicide Machines album (though not as weak as their self-titled), it is definitely a fun listen and a nice taste for what we can expect from this branch of the Suicide Machines tree.