Dead Poet Society impresses with a debut LP that feels like anything but

I first stumbled upon Boston natives Dead Poet Society some four years ago when I was wowed by the intense dynamic contrasts and the powerful wailing of frontman Jack Underkofler on their 2017 single “Bacalar.” Since then, the raucous four-piece’s name has spent much of the interim lingering in the back of my mind; that is, until I heard their massive single “.loveyoulikethat.” in January of this year and my interest in the now LA-based rockers was instantly renewed. As it turned out, after a few EP’s, countless singles, and almost a decade into their lifespan, Dead Poet Society was finally going to release a full-length studio album.

-!- (read as “The Exclamation Album”) has no shortage of content; even notwithstanding the spoken opener and two interludes placed throughout the course of the record, there is still 13 tracks’ worth of raw, often relentless rock and roll. -!- packs a recurring sense of dissonance into much of its 47 minutes of runtime, starting with the brief yet vicious instrumental “.futureofwar.” This dissonance proves to be at its loudest on cuts like “.SALT.” and “.lovemelikeyoudo,” but it even peers through on less aggressive moments like the melodic rocker “I Never Loved Myself Like I Loved You.”

Instrumentally the quartet opts for more of a Southern rock sound, whether on the shuffle-like feel of tunes like “.burymewhole.,” fan-favorite stomper “.CoDA.,” and “.loveyoulikethat.,” or when manifested in the form of a more straight-ahead rocker like on “.getawayfortheweekend.,” the almost-eerie “.SALT.,” or 5/4 standout “.georgia.” And while the roaring guitars and monstrous basslines are worth noting through much of -!-, it is their forceful, often atomic drum work that continues to shine track after track. It’s as if Underkofler’s strong pipes are just the icing on the cake, even when they are constantly at the forefront of the music, particularly on closing cuts and highlights “.beenherebefore.” and “.haunted.”

The bulk of -!- is perhaps best summed up in a quote from its very own interlude track “-gopi-.“ That is, as going from “completely soft to screaming loud with the drums and the guitar” and all in “every single song.” Still, the sheer level of intensity displayed across the album is proof that Dead Poet Society belongs in the same conversation as every other band who has put loud, hard rock music back on the map over the last several years. -!- is everything I hoped it would be when I first heard the band back in 2017, with a few added surprises thrown into the mix as well. It is a debut LP that feels like anything but.

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