P Exeter Blue I (vocals, guitar)
Carlton Megalodon (synth guitar)
Dr. Nner (keyboards)
Creature (bass)
Alec Püre (drums)
“Be not discouraged; someday a real musician may appear on Urantia,
and whole peoples will be enthralled by the magnificent strains of his melodies.
One such human being could forever change the course of a whole nation,
even the entire civilized world.”
– The Book Of Urantia
“It is phantasmagoria in its purest state,” says Deadsy leader P Exeter Blue I.
The reigning patriarchy of the underground is at last poised to release the long-anticipated album appropriately titled Commencement. After a half decade of perfecting their sound and vision, Deadsy is triumphantly throwing off the shadows and stepping into the light, introducing to the masses what Blue calls “a catalyst of exploration in an era of risk-taking.”
Deadsy’s explorations have been selling out shows in Los Angeles for the past two years. Since its primordial incarnation playing the CMJ Music Festival at Coney Island High, Deadsy has provided a hallucinatory feast that mirrors the lyrics of its songs.
The band’s performances are an ever-changing force, a mixture of color and sound, an unlikely amalgam of Kubrickian flavor and New England prep-school prestige. These presentations have attracted an assembly of goth kids, metal heads and pop fans. Members of Sugar Ray, Garbage, Static X, Limp Bizkit and Korn have also been seen at said rites. The spectacle transmogrifies from an English countryside where Teletubbies run wild into a stark landscape of floor-to-ceiling white chains that connect musician to mic stand.
Deadsy’s creative vision has long been considered ahead of its time. Its potential impact was first recognized in the commercial arena by representatives of Sire Records, who initially signed the band to a recording contract. Upon completion of an album, however, frustrations surfaced and Deadsy ultimately parted ways with Sire. Word of mouth among the faithful nonetheless led to the disc’s penetration of the underground as promo CDs were leaked to record stores, radio stations and Internet sites.
Its fan base growing virally, Deadsy mounted a showcase at The Viper Room, the first Los Angeles performance. Legions from throughout the land came to catch a glimpse. Fights broke out in front of the venue when anticipation boiled over. Deadsy displayed its devotion to the cherished sci-fi aesthetic by opening with a cover of the theme song from “Dune.”
This fateful event sparked a bidding war, from which emerged an invitation from Korn for Deadsy to sign with their Elementree label (Commencement will be issued May 21, 2002, by Elementree in conjunction with DreamWorks Records). Deadsy was now ready to re-enter the studio. The band chose Josh Abraham (Staind, Limp Bizkit, Orgy), who had produced their first songs, to collaborate on this new musical endeavor. Abraham promptly began piecing together what Blue refers to as the “multilayered sounds of the world.” The songwriter elaborates: “The sounds of Deadsy are intended to awaken and enchant the listener with subjective lyrics. The songs are the soundtrack to a state of mind.”
They are eerie and beautiful, bearing an intimation of early death metal; Deicide, Morbid Angel and even Cannibal Course can be heard in Deadsy’s unique guitar sound. Blue has expanded this vibration into a genre he terms “Undercore.” “‘Under’ is the heavy, dissonant, low guitar sound reminiscent of grindcore,” he explains, “while ‘core’ denotes a commitment to excellence.”
The conceptual underpinnings of Deadsy are based on the childhood fascinations of Blue and his boyhood playmates Dr. Nner (keyboards) and Alec Püre (drums). Their brainchild was militant but playful. It eventually diverged into five distinct branches: Academia (represented by P Exeter Blue I), Science And Medicine (Dr. Nner) and The Libertine (Alec Püre), but also War and Horror. This final pair of elements required the introduction of synth guitarist Carlton Megalodon, who personified War as the half warrior/half athlete Man-At-Arms, and bassist Creature – Horror.
To be sure, Deadsy may not be fully understood by the average listener. But those ready and able to receive the melodious rapture of the band’s inventive lyrics, skillfully blended with dynamic harmonies, are anxious to embark on this grand odyssey.
The path wends through “Lake Waramug,” which glimpses the East Coast prep-school milieu with tales of competitive crew and adolescent parties, though haunting keyboards and low guitar transform the context into something more thoughtful. “She Likes Big Words” recalls deep Duran Duran bass tones and is, in fact, destined to bridge the gap between those still craving ’80s pop and the youths leaning toward harder metal. “Tom Sawyer,” a remake of the classic Rush song, boasts colorful additives like unrelenting keyboards that provide a new twist on this complex composition.
The revolutionary zeal suggested by these songs catapulted Deadsy onto the 2001 Family Values Tour, where the gospel spread further. Concludes Blue of Deadsy’s mission: “We’re pilgrims from the other zone.” Thus the five elements dictate the journey.
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