There’s a lot to discover in ‘Saline’. The debut album by British outfit Dead Hazards, the record approaches the band’s artistry with heightened eclecticism and intense quirkiness, wrapping it all in gloomy tones and dark, obscure guitar-powered euphoria. The London-based rockers mention how everything is built on a ‘lower registry’, and it’s certainly true. Favouring murky distortions, earthy vocals and massive drums, Dead Hazards embrace a decadent, melancholic ethos – like a nightmare that never ends, yet one you’d be looking forward to the next night.
From a sonic standpoint, ‘Saline’ is unexpectedly polite, at least in its understated, slow-paced rhythms and overall dynamic profile. Borrowing from sludge metal as much as they do from prog-rock and niche post-punk, Dead Hazards are not afraid to stick to their guns, really refining their formula over thirteen powerful tracks. The listening experience is rough at first, then quickly becomes familiar and hypnotising. We cannot quite describe it… We just find ourselves drawn to ‘Saline’ over and over again.
While the record’s influences are steeped in metal catharsis, its refusal to go to the extreme makes the album palatable to a wider audience, a stroke of genius by Dead Hazards, which might have just released the more kaleidoscopic metal album of 2025. We’ll see how it ends! Speaking about the lyricism behind the songs, they explain: “It explores disillusionment and detachment, unfolding as a sonic escapade through the edgier realms of metal.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Saline’ on Spotify:
