Death by Stereo

Death by Stereo: Death Is My Only FriendDeath Is My Only Friend (2009)
Serjical Strike

Reviewer Rating: 1.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: InaGreendaseBrian
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 21st 2009It'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.

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

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

glenZero (July 7, 2010)

A year later and this review still pisses me off. Seriously, this kid did not research the band at all. Editors of this website, I have a a serious question in regards to this contributor. Did you pay this guy for his review? Reminds of that Circle JErks songs "Defamation Innuendo". 25 plus years on still relevant and that's without Bad Religion. How about that!!

crashtester (July 24, 2009)

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

elliot (July 23, 2009)

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!

Torgo (July 23, 2009)

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

HB_Dad (July 22, 2009)

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.

Ragdoll (July 22, 2009)

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.

onegirlarmy (July 22, 2009)

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.

mikexdude (July 22, 2009)

lol dbs

Jeevz (July 22, 2009)

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.

damnitsderek (July 22, 2009)

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.

telegraphrocks (July 22, 2009)

"Underboob is the new side boob."

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

dinosaurs (July 21, 2009)

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

DrGunn (July 21, 2009)

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

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

inagreendase (July 21, 2009)

2pac, read the review...

icapped2pac (July 21, 2009)

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

scorpiondeathlock (July 21, 2009)

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

Dante3000 (July 21, 2009)

Underboob is the new side boob.
-Dante

xIxKilledxJesusx (July 21, 2009)

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

d_bag (July 21, 2009)

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

telegraphrocks (July 21, 2009)

"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?!?!?!

preston (July 21, 2009)

I never got into this band.

telegraphrocks (July 21, 2009)

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.

LinoleumMagazine (July 21, 2009)

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.

Whoostin (July 21, 2009)

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

threechordsandthetruth (July 21, 2009)

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

wentz_equals_death (July 21, 2009)

death by brian! good review

it's too bad this band is so bad now

ddb43 (July 21, 2009)

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

youwinalemon (July 21, 2009)

Holy shit that is terrible album art.