Theory Of A Deadman

At some point the term "classic rock" went from a radio-driven marketing campaign that opened a vault of rock play lists from several decades ago to an actual genre of music. There are groups all over the place that are making classic rock a successful modern musical movement; Theory Of A Deadman, with the backing of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger (the granddaddy of the movement?) is one of those groups. The self-titled debut CD from this Vancouver-based band has solid, deep vocals and complementary rhythmic guitars; the songs are well written and the band is tight. Lead single "Nothing Could Come Between Us" is a good indication of what Theory Of A Deadman has to offer. The most notable track is the poignant ballad "The Last Song," which deals with what people miss out on after suicide. Lyricist and vocalist Tyler Connolly really dives into the everyday joys of life in a pure and honest way. But, as with most modernisation of this genre, this sound has been done before, and influences from groups like the Doors and Led Zeppelin are apparent. Can Theory Of A Deadman step out from the classic rock shadow, even the modern version? I'm not too confident that they can.