Haatland
(Petrichor)
120:24min
DEAD HEAD might not ring any bells to many on lookers, but pity for those souls, as the band is up and running for over 30 years and has a worldwide, devoted fanbase. Formed right back in the glory era of 1989, these Dutch maniacs established their raw, aggressive Death / Thrash Metal sound ethic from the very beginning and released several demos, EPs and full lengths in their impressive tenure. After announcing their bewilderingly deadly sound in the revered “Where Is Your God Now…?” (1990) split with legends of ACROSTICHON, SINISTER, GOREFEST and DISFIGURE, the ensuing full-lengths “The Feast Begins At Dawn” (1991) and “Dream Deceiver” around 1993 forced all watchers to follow forth. The third album “Kill Division” (which also received the worthy re-issue honor from Petrichor) further deepened their roots in this fiendish and forever uncompromising genre. Historically their tradition of taking considerable time between each full-lengths maintained carefully and the same happened before the cult-classic fourth full-length offering “Haatland”, released around 2005 – in the time when Thrash and Death Metal lost most of its naivety and unbending essence. Possibly to defy all that compromises around, in “Haatland” the four original members of Tom van Dijk (bass, vocals), Robbie Woning (guitar), Ronnie van der Wey (guitar) and Hans Spijker (drums) captured the most intense and brutal Thrash Metal, thus distilled their own way to pounding out each song, as if death was lurking ahead and every minute could be their last. Unquestionably, the outrageous drum-style of Spijker, the ultra-thrashing double guitar-riffs combined with Tom’s all-pervading earsplitting vocal spitting, gave the band a well-earned status in the Metal scene of those days. Can’t comprehend the blood-spattered pit during tracks as ‘Phantom Palace’, the merciless ‘Supreme Forgery’, ‘Last Server Down’, ‘Serial Divorce’ or the sights when violent pitfall of manic falls throughout the playtime of ‘Dog God’, ‘Desire’ and the nefarious ‘Nosferatu’!! So, blessing to any old and unexposed souls, as in this year of 2022, “Haatland” is getting re-issued (comes with heaps of early demos) on 2 CD and LP with infusing production, so all can re-acquaint itself with this magnum opus of sheer brutality and refined haunting melodies. Certainly, it could not be more teasing time to revisit their past or get acquainted with-your-jaw-drop, as the band is on the route to release their seventh full-length album in 2022 – to be solid with their tradition of releasing intense and aggressive thrashing music for over thirty years. So, all unaware ones should behold “Haatland” again and get assured, why DEAD HEAD shall be considered as one of the best and unheeded band, that they have been for far too long. Explore more about the band and label here: www.facebook.com/deadheadthrash, www.facebook.com/petrichorochtenddauw
Randolph Whateley
• DEAD HEAD - Slave Driver (Mindaugas "Plix" Lapinskas)