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It's been a solid four years since the transformed Death by Stereo released 2005's Death for Life, an attempt at blending better into the SoCal metalcore scene that suddenly found them in good company with a cheesy peer like Atreyu, while somewhat abandoning the punk/metal-informed hardcore of their earlier material. Death Is My Only Friend is another noticeable departure, only this time DBS has chosen to write thumping, aggro-butt rock.

Death Is My Only Friend brims to the surface with an allotment of even cornier melodies and forced angst that ultimately sounds like Papa Roach covering Ignite's back catalog and missing the point completely. "Opening Destruction" does nothing but, at least to the idea of sincere songwriting, with a thoroughly groanworthy chorus: "Running down, / running 'round, / falling down. / No one's here to catch youuu!" Seriously, guys? The proverbial 'you' in "I Sing for You" must be Hot Topic patrons with its declaration of, "sold myself some misery. / Depression, gotta break free!" If this isn't pandering...

Musically, little wins here, either. "The Last Song" and piano-addled "Forever and a Day" are some nasally Avenged Sevenfold ballad bullshit and the contrast of emotionless backing "uhhh-uhhh-ohhhh-ohhh"s with vocal barks in "Bread for the Dead" is about as dry as its title implies. The fussy, squealy guitar solos don't help much. By the time the band hit the tired-sounding verses of "I Got Your Back," the listener has to be exhausted, too. Nothing here is remotely catchy or invigorating, and frontman Efrem Schulz's flawed yell, once an endearing trait, is now trying too hard to be something it's not.

The fact that this album has 50 minutes of this crap (including an annoying hidden horror metal-type track) is sort of inexcusable, even with a second half that has some Strung Out-esque skatepunk vibes on "We Sing Today for a Better Tomorrow." The last fifth of the album is just weird, with sort of a bizarre NYHC feel to "Welcome to the Party," "For All My Friends (The Unity Song)" and especially "Fear of a Brown Planet." Whether that works in DBS's favor all that well is up for debate, but it sure sounds better than the rest of Death's radio cock-schlock. Granted, "For All My Friends" sure has a weirdly inviting opening, with Schulz calling all "niggers, wetbacks, fats (?) and...Jews." I'm pretty sure he means the terms endearingly, but it's pretty awkward sounding all the same.

Death by Stereo used to have some really genuine, well-rounded grit and aggression to their songs, but as the years have passed they seem less to be growing as artists and merely becoming confused ones. Put short, this album sucks.

STREAM
The Ballad of Sid Dynamite
I Sing for You
The Last Song
Fear of a Brown Planet



People who liked this also liked:
Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeThe Offspring - Ixnay on the HombreRise Against - The Sufferer & the WitnessPropagandhi - Supporting CasteFrank Turner - Poetry of the DeedThe Aggrolites - IVNOFX - Punk In DrublicNOFX - CoasterRiverboat Gamblers - Underneath the OwlDead to Me - Little Brother



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    Posted by crashtester on 2009-07-24 19:46:52
    My Score:

    Horrible review, a good but not great record. Might even be better than Death for life.

    Posted by elliot on 2009-07-23 23:26:27

    The proverbial 'you' in "I Sing for You" must be Hot Topic patrons with its declaration of, "sold myself some misery. / Depression, gotta break free!"

    Oops, somebody doesn't recognize a Black Flag lyric when he hears it!

    Posted by Torgo on 2009-07-23 14:18:22
    My Score:

    Seriously, what a fucked album cover. Is this a Motley Crue tribute album?

    Posted by HB_Dad on 2009-07-22 17:30:52
    My Score:

    Death by Stereo is one of my all time favorite bands. This album is Death By Stereo's worst release to date, but it is still better than most releases these days. I think they went too punk on this CD and were better off in the direction of their last CD. Things the reviewer missed:

    1. Forever and a Day is a rearranged and rerecorded version of a song from their last album.

    2. The bonus track is an extended rerecorded version of Death By Stereo's well-known track "Emo Holocaust". Anyone with any Death By Stereo knowledge would know this song the second it started.

    The CD is worth owning, especially if you like things more on the punk side.

    Posted by Ragdoll on 2009-07-22 15:24:19
    My Score:

    This band got on my bad side ever since I had to listen to them open for Gogol Bordello.

    There were only like 20 people at that show, and I blame this band and the screaming jesus in the opening act for scaring the Gogol fans away.

    Posted by onegirlarmy on 2009-07-22 14:44:01

    Granted, "For All My Friends" sure has a weirdly inviting opening, with Schulz calling all "nig gers, wetbacks, fats (?) and...Jews." I'm pretty sure he means the terms endearingly, but it's pretty awkward sounding all the same.

    Regardless if it's meant endearingly, that stuff shouldn't be said because it can be taken the wrong way. Even if it's for shock value. Not cool.

    Posted by mikexdude on 2009-07-22 11:25:55

    lol dbs

    Posted by Jeevz on 2009-07-22 09:48:59
    My Score:

    Y'all are really hatin on this shit eh? Lemme tell you, it's not as terrible as all of these jerk offs are making it sound. It's really a tale of two styles, the first half is slower up until Forever And A Day (which should have been left the fuck off) then really ramps up over the last half. I like it.

    Posted by damnitsderek on 2009-07-22 05:36:10

    The lyrics in the second paragraph of this review embarrass me for knowing of this band. That writing is remarkably bad. I will not be picking this up.

    Posted by telegraphrocks on 2009-07-22 00:49:06

    "Underboob is the new side boob."

    All sides get a thumbs up from me! (except the back... the might be weird).

    Posted by dinosaurs on 2009-07-21 23:17:43

    That album art looks like it's straight out of Masters of Horror.

    Posted by DrGunn on 2009-07-21 23:01:10

    "...ltimately sounds like Papa Roach covering Ignite's back catalog and missing the point completely."

    AHAHAHA. that's a pretty amazing quote right there.

    Posted by inagreendase on 2009-07-21 21:04:27

    2pac, read the review...

    Posted by icapped2pac on 2009-07-21 19:47:28
    My Score:

    Where did that comedian below me come from? What wit. Score is for that comment and this band.

    Posted by scorpiondeathlock on 2009-07-21 19:25:55

    n iggers, wetbacks, fats, and jews are stoked.

    Posted by Dante3000 on 2009-07-21 18:22:41

    Underboob is the new side boob.
    -Dante

    Posted by xIxKilledxJesusx on 2009-07-21 18:12:20
    My Score:

    i say its one of their best albums.. sorry its not orgcore

    Posted by d_bag on 2009-07-21 17:57:45

    the cover art does indeed suck, and i can only think of that fucking stupid Blood Duster album cover when i look at it.

    Posted by telegraphrocks on 2009-07-21 17:00:23
    My Score:

    "I never got into this band."

    Ok, that's just probably the most pointless fucking post ever! Not even "I don't like them", "they suck", or anything like that... which would be fine.

    But "I never got into this band". No criticism. No praise. No questions at all.

    WHY POST?!?!?!

    Posted by preston on 2009-07-21 16:54:40

    I never got into this band.

    Posted by telegraphrocks on 2009-07-21 16:51:51
    My Score:

    A three? Pfffftttttttttttttttt... no arguing that it's not nearly as awesome as their first 3 albums (in fact, I'd say this is their worst), but this is still a pretty fun album.

    I'm kind of on the fence between a 6 and a 7, but, fun prevails... a 7 is what I'll post it with.

    Posted by LinoleumMagazine on 2009-07-21 16:11:47
    My Score:

    Yes, it's overproduced and they do veer into radio rock territory on some songs, but overall there are still some really good punk/hardcore songs on this (especially during the last half).

    I definitely thing the redone version of forever and a day shoulda been left off. The original was a good cheesy rock ballad and didn't need to be made cheesier.

    I think you should ignore the really bad album cover (how is a chubby chick with blood dripping on her chubby gut supposed to be hot or cool?) and ignore most of this review and give this a chance. At least half of it is good.

    Oh and their live show is still awesome.

    p.s. yes I'm a DBS fanboy.

    Posted by Whoostin on 2009-07-21 15:28:38

    They played mostly old stuff when I seen them open for Strung Out, but ya this album is weak

    Posted by threechordsandthetruth on 2009-07-21 15:08:56

    I'm bummed out about this, these guys used to rule. Wasn't there a "Forever And A Day" on Death For Life too?

    Posted by wentz_equals_death on 2009-07-21 14:33:33

    death by brian! good review

    it's too bad this band is so bad now

    Posted by ddb43 on 2009-07-21 14:32:49

    Aggro-butt rock radio cock-schlock deserves less than the 1 1/2 star you gave it. DBS just plain sucks.

    Posted by youwinalemon on 2009-07-21 13:57:55
    My Score:

    Holy shit that is terrible album art.

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