DEAD CAN WAIT - In Lumine (Album Review)

Album: THE DEAD CAN WAIT – In Lumine

Release Date: October 25, 2024

Runtime: 47 minutes

In Lumine – Track Order:

1. No One Knows Your Name
2. Scorn
3. Second Time Around
4. Paranoia
5. Misled
6. Into The Fire
7. Gone
8. The Dead Can Wait

Hey folks, my name is Rich “The Meister” Dillon and I love Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. It’s my greatest passion in life. Lately, however, I’m just overwhelmed. Burnt out. Absolutely inundated with new music, which is a two-sided coin of good and bad. Nothing has really been “grabbing” me for the last year or so. I think I’m just overloaded. So recently I’ve been mostly sticking to the classic albums of my youth or some other top favourites. Oh, I’ve still been dabbling into the new albums, but they just don’t resonate and often don’t make it past three songs.

But one album has caught me with a piqued interest and that’s THE DEAD CAN WAIT – In Lumine. Perhaps a lot to do with that catching is the throwback sounds that jump to the forefront right from the off. A Saxon vibe coupled with so much more washed over me before I’d hit the first minute of runtime on “No One Knows Your Name“.

History of The Dead:

THE DEAD CAN WAIT began life at a reunion for a “legendary town centre music pub in Reading“, UK in 2016. Things started with a conversation between guitarists Steve McLoughlin and Mick Hare about forming a band and after trying a few vocalists, found their man in Ashley Stone. Almost as soon as the recording sessions closed, the nail in everyone’s coffin called COVID reared its ugly head. The band, like many others, fell dormant and the rhythm section moved on. Present day Steve, Mick and Ashley after reflecting on their as yet unfinished, unreleased album found new bassman Andy Rowe and drummer Chris York. Successful rehearsals soon led to live shows and now the long-time in-the-making debut album is set upon us on October 25, 2024.

In Lumine:

The band named their album In Lumine (Into The Light) as it reflects the rebirth of the band according to Mick Hare. The cover art depicts a young lady clad in perhaps a thin nightgown crossing a bridge on a moonlit night. Ashley Stone sees it as “an album that is a collection of thought-provoking stories about insecurity, unrequited love and the plight of refugees for example“. Heavy.

The First Four:

The album opens with the track “No One Knows Your Name” which will also serve as the lead single. The album track runs at a little over 6 minutes, but there’s a shortened radio version that will be the single. Things open up with a galloping guitar riff before the drums bash their way in. I’m already reaching for the volume knob, louder is better! Stone‘s vocal delivery has a sort of surly-sounding snarl to them in points that fits very well with the fist-raising anthem behind it. The six minutes seem to fly by and maintain interest throughout. Great track!

Next in line is “Scorn“. This one is also lengthy at almost five and a half minutes and features an insanely identifiable standout chorus line. Before that, we get a heavier slower pace chugger ahead of a lighter tempo change before barrelling back down for the chanted chorus “Scorn“.

Now while I can appreciate the desire for a band to change tempo and keep the listener engaged without sounding “samey” on every track, those who know me are well aware that I absolutely hate lighter/slower fare, ballads and acoustic songs. For me, I’d rather keep having my face melted off with riffs like the first two songs possessed. Therefore I did not take to “Second Time Around” at all. It’s just a style I don’t enjoy and that’s 6 minutes and 40 seconds that I’ll skip every time on In Lumine.

Hitting track number four, “Paranoia“, vaulted me back to reality as it crashed in with its thumping start off, basslines at the forefront. The speed picks up and it’s a great foot-tapper and head nodder already. Again riffs chugging throughout keeping the foot and the head going with a catchy chorus chanting of “Paranoia“. Stone‘s got the piss and vinegar snarl back and sounds great. I would easily make this my top song pick on In Lumine.

Halfway through:

“Misled” keeps things surging along in another heavy chugger-paced track chock full of engaging guitar riffage. “Into The Fire” is another shorter (4:30minutes) to me more radio-accessible track. What am I saying? Terrestrial radio doesn’t play rock music anymore, but rest assured you’ll be hearing THE DEAD CAN WAIT on CGCM Rock Radio in the very near future!

At 7:31minutes, “Gone” is simply the worst song of the album for me. It’s not that it’s poorly written or played etc, it’s again a style thing. I detest ballads and to have a second one surface, especially at seven and a half minutes long is tough. It does pick up throughout, but not enough to satisfy this crotchety old man! Sorry guys, just my personal preference. Hey, not everyone likes chocolate ice cream…..heathens!

Things wrap up on a high note, however, with the band’s namesake track. The opening guitar riff draws you in closer as the other instruments join the charge. The captivating vocal delivery binds the package together as the neck starts getting sore from the head bobbing. Some awesome guitar soloing is contained in here as well, as it is throughout the entire collection.

Overall:

All in all THE DEAD CAN WAIT – In Lumine is a great debut album. Tons of engaging electrifying riffs coupled with thumping basslines and pounding drum beats create some awesome Heavy Metal anthems. Overlaying it all is the captivating vocals, at times soft, at others snarling venomous deliveries. Out of the eight songs, two ballady ones didn’t appeal to me. But the remaining six still clock about 35minutes. And that’s really all I need. I miss the days of an approx 40minutes total runtime for an album. Quantity is not always quality and some of these albums at 14 or 15 songs are just too long, IMO. Take a listen to the radio edit of the lead track “No One Knows Your Name” below and see what you think for yourself. Keep an ear on THE DEAD CAN WAIT, I expect you’ll “know their name” quite soon!

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Cheers,