All Words by:
DFITZ “Trash Witch”
Released by: Roadrunner Records
Release Date: March 17th, 2023
Genre: Rock
Links: https://www.theoryofficial.com/
Line Up:
Tyler Connolly
Dave Brenner
Dean Back
Joey Dandeneau
Tracklist:
1. Dinosaur
2. Medusa (Stone)
3. Sick
4. Two of Us (Stuck)
5. Ambulance
6. Sideways
7. Get In Line
8. Head In the Clouds
9. Heart’s Too Wild
10. Summer Song
The year is 2023 and Theory of a Deadman has released Dinosaur, roaring in from Atlantis Studios in Sweden made famous by ABBA- and was produced by Grammy, Brit, and Juno award winner Martin Terefe.
Dinosaur stomps in with that familiar Theory of a Deadman sound we all grew to know and love in their earlier work, while giving an invigorating new kick to their sound while nodding at the tones of their hit albums Scars and Souvenirs and The Truth Is…
Without further adieu: here is a track by track in-depth analysis of Dinosaur.
Dinosaur
To put it bluntly, the opening song bearing the name of Theory of a Deadman’s new album is corporate and safe sounding.
Dinosaur is a very tame opener to an album from a band that wrote the hit song “Bad Girlfriend” with the opening lyrics being “my girlfriend’s a dick magnet/ my girlfriend’s gotta have it“. However, the opening riff is engaging and sounds like it’s very fun to play as well. Connolly wrote an earworm. The apocalyptic timbre of this jam is quite appropriate with what we’ve been seeing globally in politics. This song would be great to use in a PG-13 apocalyptic action film.
Medusa (Turn me to Stone)
Opening with the choppy guitar loaded with distortion paired with the cello was a good move. Though if you told me it wasn’t Theory of a Deadman, I would think it was Imagine Dragons making a drug influenced bad-boy rock song. If you close your eyes you can hear it.
“You turn me to stone”, Connolly croons into the microphone making his guitar almost sound like it’s saying “oh no” in the same way that David Lee Roth makes his guitar speak in his hit song Yankee Rose.
The Greek mythos surrounding the legend of Medusa was enjoyable to hear written about. I hope it inspires listeners to read more Greek mythology as the song writing fuel is endless regarding all of the Gods, Goddesses, heroes and monsters alike. It was nice to see Connolly exploring other cultures in his song writing.
Sick
This jam is pretty catchy. I listened to this one a few times. Although in the timbre of their old song “I Hate My Life” it would make more sense for this song to be called “I Hate My Wife” rather than “Sick”. It is a song of massive complaints regarding your partner, as well as a song to play passive agressively when in the same room as your spouse to say “I am annoyed but I don’t want to say it out loud”. I very much enjoyed the lines about dissing pyramid schemes. Nobody should fall for pyramid schemes, those that do are the sickest of all.
Just The Two of Us
I love the nod to the Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. bop “Just The Two of Us”. Bill Withers is one of the greatest songwriters spanning all generations; “Just The Two Of Us” being one of many timeless classics Withers collaborated on. I was unimpressed with the rhyme scheme of “pretty” and “shitty“, but I am a harsh critic and a poet. Regardless, this is a fun song and it enhanced my already vast appreciation for Bill Withers all the more.
“Two Of Us (Stuck)” takes the classic “Just The Two of Us” to a new level and breathes a bit of life back into the old anthem, while twisting the original meaning of the Withers and Washington song into a wicked break-up song. The empty and abysmal feel of Connolly’s guitar solo, with the slight noise elements accompanying the wailing of his Gibson Les Paul Classic adds a certain doom and dismay that really makes you want to turn it up all the way. To quote local Murfreesboro band Megajoos, “always turn it up way too loud“. It is clear why this song was chosen to be the leading title track of their new singles album release bearing the same name made available on February 17th of this year, it’s fun jam.
Ambulance
I am personally never a fan of hearing sirens in any song, especially when I’m driving.
It was interesting to say the least that Theory of A Deadman attempted to rap, and would like to suggest not doing that again. The 50 Cent reference was a great throwback.
I was surprised to hear the hundred old term that was once used for “nurse” being used in the line “goodie in the back of the ambulance” as that is a term that I thought died in the 40’s. However, I think it is clever being this generation calls good looking people “baddies”- maybe this new-term-old-term will catch on. I will not say this song is a goodie though. As Connolly states later on “and if you don’t like it, you can go away“: while I am not enamored with this song I wouldn’t go away just yet- there is much more to Dinosaur than this.
Not every single can be a hit.
Sideways
This song is an emotionally fueled anthem about being wasted and bar culture. Gerard Way was an obvious influence in the chorus of Sideways where “I’m not ok” was repeated, as the same line is repeated in My Chemical Romance’s “I’m Not Okay”. “Sideways” is a song I could see being used for a beer commercial at an Indy500 race, and I hope that it is used for such one day.
I feel like many drinkers can relate to “Sideways”, I (and I’m sure many other punks and metalheads alike) havebeen so drunk they have been “sideways and not ok“, more often than not in someone’s basement where Theory of a Deadman and thousands of other bands got their start. This song is fun and brought a smile to my face, in rememberance to my days as an alcoholic in the pit.
Get in Line
“Get in Line” is extremely catchy with the confidence one would expect from Theory of A Deadman. This jam is punchy, and is a great track to start your day to. It does sound a bit on the “safe” end, as for releasing a song that sounds corporate-radio-friendly. We need more songs that are pushing limits right now. If that’s what they were going for they excelled. I would like to see Theory of a Deadman push themselves in a heavier direction and break the “songs that feel safe to release” boundary. “Get in Line” does do a great job of showcasing Theory of a Deadman’s ” don’t give a ****” feel, and will get your head noddin’.
Head in The Clouds
This is a gorgeous track.
Head in The Clouds is my favorite track on this album. It sounds like it belongs on Scars and Souvenirs, which was an album I grew up with and enjoyed and if it were it would be one of my favorite songs to this day.
“Head in The Clouds” deserves to be on the radio, and it is a song that people need to hear right now. The lyrical content is thoughtful and provides hope. The gut-wrenching line “I heard you were sick again” clearly alludes to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a sensitive topic for many of us now. These days you have either gotten Covid-19, know someone who has, or have lost someone from the pandemic. At the worst, all three.
If you are ever feeling down, listen to “Head in The Clouds” and “know that you’ll be ok”. The lyrical content speaks to a wide audience. It speaks to those with chronic illness, or those that suffer from depression, or anything of that nature and it reminds those that struggle with those worries that everything will turn out fine. All you have to do is hold your head high and look to the sky and take a deep breathe. Anything and everything difficult in life passes eventually, no pain lasts forever. This is a track exuding a feeling of comfort like a warm hug from a close friend or family member and an abundance of positive energy. The riffs are fun and uplifting, and Joey Dandeneau brings the emotion with powerful drumming.
I listened to this track mutliple times. It brought tears to my eyes. With this track, I give a hearty “bravo”. Remember to never stop dreaming. Keep your “Head in The Clouds” and never let anyone disuade you from accomplishing your dreams.
Hearts Gone Wild
I was sold on this track with the line “sitting at the airport park drinking Hamm’s”. For those that don’t have Hamm’s in their state: Hamm’s is the best cheap beer you can get. A 30 pack of Hamm’s used to run you about ten bucks back when I drank it. It’s brilliant to split with your friends on tour, and it’s brilliant to keep in the fridge. Hamm’s, here’s a track to use in future commercials.
This is another song that I could see on one of their older albums as well. It’s amazing when a band that has been around as long as Theory of A Deadman can write something new yet still hold on to their original sound. That’s always something to high-five a band for.
Summer Song
This song is extremely danceable and very fun to sing along to. The pop feel sets the mood for a movie-like scene at the lake. There you are stealing a boat with your friends. Subsequently after the fact you are cracking open your fifth cold one (is it Hamm’s?) and sparking up a joint with the boys. There you are again, rocking out with their hot girlfriends and their hot girlfriend’s girlfriends. Then there she is: Summer, and boy howdy is she your dream girl. Tyler Connolly rips his guitar solo, and even the solo sounds like a long day out having fun in the sunshine.
Absolutely a radio-hit for the summertime, and yet again another track on Dinosaur that feels like it belongs in an older release.
I have worn this track out.
A brilliant conclusion to a fun southern metal album that many have been waiting on since their last release of their 2020 release Say Nothing, depicting gorgeous album art of a photograph of palm trees at dusk which was perhaps alluding to the writing of “Summer Song” showcasing a good time at a lake down south in the future.
All in all, Dinosaur brought back intense nostalgia for older releases, appreciation for both Theory of a Deadman and other artists alike, and gave us all some radio-worthy hits at the end of the album.
Connolly, Brenner, Back, and Dandeneau have made another banger.
The best tracks on the album are absolutely and easily the last three hidden gems “Head in The Clouds”, “Heart’s Gone Wild”, and “Summer Song” which have been on a loop for the past 30 minutes.
Score: 5/10
Reviewed by: DFITZ “Trash Witch”
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