A while back, I had the privilege of reviewing The Jason McIver Collective, and having watched Jason McIver’s movements with music ever since, I jumped at the chance of getting to review his new band If He Dies He Dies single The Medusa.
Now first things first, make sure your speakers are set as loud as they will go without distorting. That’s the best advice I can offer while preparing for this.
I have no idea what the guitars are tuned to, but its low – very low. Guitars kick off quietly in the mix, sounding a lot like what everyone used to describe as Nu-Metal / Post Grunge. I prefer to call it Rawesome. Raw plus Awesome.
Jason’s voice flows in about the 15 second mark, very much reminding me of Daryl Palumbo from Glassjaw. The beat shifts around a lot, with some awesome double time feels, but most if it at perfect mosh tempo. Plenty of heavy yelling, and hard punches on crash cymbal, with some dissonant guitar solos throw this song from the heavy rock into the metal genre.
If He Dies He Dies, Sevendust and Thornley sound like they would be a damn awesome line-up at a rock concert is what I’m picturing while I’m listening to this single. I even get hints of Incubus whilst I listen to Jason’s vocals.
I’ve mentioned Jason quite a few times during this review, but when I listen further into it, this is a band full of well-polished individuals. The guitars are written and played very precisely, space where there needs to be space, noise where there needs to be noise, and super percussive. Not many guitarists manage to pull off the percussive part of metal well, but they manage to fall into shred pretty competently. These guys do both. The Bass grooves in harmony with the guitars, once again accurate and percussive, and man those drums are just so phat. Not super tricky and fast like most metal drummers, but accurate, driven, each hit perfectly positioned in the perfect place on the kit, and it keeps the groove so tight.
All in all, an awesome new tune from the gents in If He Dies He Dies – I have no doubt this song will be played on repeat many times by many of you over a few straight whiskeys on a Friday night after a hard week.
Probably the best thing ever to come out of Taupo I might add.
Review written by Carl Hayman
If He Dies He Dies are a Taupo based heavy rock/Alt Metal 4 piece. Consisting of former members of Slipping Tongue, 5 Star Fallout and Primacy, the band are intent on combining crushing down tuned riffs with strong melody and hooks.