Dead and Divine

My apprehensions were running fairly high when I dropped Dead and Divine’s latest release, The Fanciful, into my stereo. Not because I’ve had doubts that this band are fully equipped to satisfy but because this kind of catchy hardcore has become so overexposed. So then, it’s almost absurd for me to fully acknowledge the involuntary toe-tapping and head-bobbing that came along with each of the album’s 11 tracks. Matt Tobin’s vocals (especially on "Nothing Is Fair In Love And War”) have got all the raw aggression that define this genre but lack the annoying whininess and slurring that usually come with it. Even on the album’s softer moments his voice doesn’t stray. Moreover, although lyrically these guys have room for growth, musically they fare quite well, with strong bass lines, clean-edged guitar work and caustic drumming. The Fanciful almost perfectly mirrors that ideal blend of catchiness, melody, angst and intensity that we all lust after from time to time, be it typical or not.