For those of you who do not know who Kevin Keegan is, you should. Keegan is a Canadian Metal riff master who started the short lived Barn Burner. Loved by many for their blend of stoner and thrash metal, they were quickly becoming a household name in the Canadian Metal scene. After their demise, however, members of the band laid low. Kevin Keegan returns with his new band, which is a logical step from and more rewarding than Barn Burner.
The album opens with “The Sorceress” which sounds like a track straight out of the Barn Burner wheel house, and is a good introduction for fans of the band member’s previous projects. “Foul Words” employs only two riffs, which really shows a maturity in Keegan’s playing; sometimes less is more. This song, like many other on the album, shines a spotlight on bass player Aaron Gustafson. Aaron also plays in the band Anciients, and it’s nice to hear some of his work stand alone on tracks such as “Foul Words” and “Remaining Remains”.
The middle tracks of this album is where the classic rock influences come to the fore-front. Kevin Keegan’s time in Mountain Dust really shines through here; tracks like “Remaining Remains”, “Home is Where I go to Die” , and “The Fall of Me” sound like a blend of CCR riffs blended with sludge metal. The album, however, ends on it’s finest moment with “Let it Die” just as the album seems to be mellowing out, this track kicks you in the gut and encapsulates everything Dead Quiet are about on this album. If you’re looking for that perfect amount of classic rock mixed with heavy stoner metal riffs, this album is for you.
