Sunset Room sleeve – designed by APlaceForTom
Since their debut single “May” in 2019, Manchester based Deadwing have been carving their own path on the rock scene and slowly growing into one of the most unique acts not only in the North West but on national level as well.
Naming yourself after the eight album of Porcupine Tree is a statement of intent. “Deadwing” released in 2005 is universally recognized as a milestone within progressive rock genre and a concept album that defined guitar music in the new millennium. It was created as a soundtrack to
a ghost story (intended for TV screens rather than a novel) and inspired by David Lynch`s pioneering series Twin Peaks. It included Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth and Adrian Belew of King Crimson among collaborators and cemented the status of Steven Wilson as an artistic visionary.
It`s not hard to notice why a bunch of young musicians from Mancunia would take Deadwing as a banner under which they want to create their own sound. Steve Wilson was never shy about his talents, and this band has both confidence in their abilities and something interesting to say. It`s still a long way for them to record an album of a decade but it`s not that far away as you may think.
When I first interviewed the band in 2019, the ensemble consisted of Ellie (sometimes also referred to as Ellis) Peberdy on vocals, Jake Lafferty (drums), Jack Stanley (bass) and Isaac Batty on guitar. Within one year Isaac departed and was replaced by Dragos Colceriu. In 2022 the band announced new changes. They were joined by keyboard player and singer Zara Huxley and would audition for a new guitarist in Dragos` place. Personal rotations are nothing new in the music business but they offer interesting peaks at the direction the band will move in the future. Among their heroes Deadwing mentions Tool, Soundgarden, Rush and Black Sabbath so it is quite fascinating to have a bit of Fleetwood Mac flavour here personnel wise.
Deadwing photographed by Liam Maxwell
The band`s new single (and first with Zara) is entitled “Sunset Room” and was released on 27th January. It offers so much; you may want to forgive me for this review being a bit longish. Deadwing have been described in the past as “alternative rock with gothic sensibility and classic rock inspiration” but the marriage of old and new on the single is spectacular.
You don’t expect prog bands to be too heavy. They are rather on the side of extravagant: with long solos, artsy arrangements and airy, if not eerie, atmosphere. “Sunset Room” on the other hand is much closer to metal or grunge than your casual Marillion. With riffs and tunings more apt for Ozzy Osbourne`s solo ventures (especially his classic Ozzmosis) or Alice in Chains (Rainier Fog), the song could do well in hard rock/metal and college stations like Sirius XM. Another thing worth mentioning is that “Sunset Room” is not what purists would call “quintessentially British rock”. Take the Sabbath influences away and you will see that Deadwing have more in common with US acts – Evanescence being here a point of reference. And I would not be surprised to see them tour the US at some point in the future, or even relocating.
But again, you can’t just stop there and proclaim Deadwing being “too Americanised” (or whatever that meant to a certain `music critic` in a certain `music magazine`) for the British market. Deadwing has not only a strong appeal to listeners in their own country, but huge prospects to be well received in mainland Europe. The band members may be too young but some readers may remember when Anneke van Giersbergen took over The Gathering and took a death metal band to the top of the charts with Mandylion. Anneke’s arrival transformed The Gathering into a much more progressive, almost gothic project that appealed to a wider public, beyond metal circuits. Another Dutch act Delain followed closely the same formula with even more success. There is a lot of both Gathering/Delain in Deadwing and I could also throw in Polish band Moonlight into the mix. I mean just listen to Maja Konarska and you will hear a lot of similarities between her and Ellie Peberdy. Or even with the legendary Anja Orthodox of Closterkeller.
And going back to English soil for a bit, acts like Paradise Lost, Anathema or even My Dying Bride all went from doom/death metal to prog and mainstream rock quite nicely over the years. If anything, the musical direction Deadwing chose for themselves has a rich and broad heritage in the last thirty years and shows how ambitious and well versed the members are.
I have to mention another part of why I find Deadwing to be in a league on their own, at least when it comes to their peers on the stage right now. Their consistent and beautiful artistic vision. Every single cover comes with an elaborate sleeve, even the band`s logo is represented by a mysterious fossil. Again, just look at the art on the covers of Paradise Lost (Draconian Times!), Anathema or Opeth albums, you will realize where the aspirations of the band lie. This is not a coincidence, this is a reference you may not pick up , but it is there.
When I was in high school I used to skip lessons by running to the local library to listen to records. I could spend hours being immersed in early records of Anathema and I never thought I’d have the feeling back when listening to a band off Spotify. Means of consuming music may be different but the old sensation is back. There we are – a band of people in their 20s who just unleash their potential into the world. I once told Danny Cavanagh that he would go and change a lot of people’s lives. He responded with a bare hug that nearly crushed my ribs. You know something about Deadwing? I have to tell you the same thing. Stick at what you do and you will go and change a lot of lives. You may not know your true power yet but it will come. Just don’t give up.
You can follow Deadwing on socials:
https://www.deadwing.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/deadwingband
https://www.instagram.com/deadwingband/
https://twitter.com/Deadwing_band
https://soundcloud.com/deadwingband
https://www.tiktok.com/@deadwingband
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCznzJHpYbj-4xEp0j0-jYiA
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qZDjUpnTjsYK1yTslsmHj
We have previously covered Deadwing on our blog and you can read it here:
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2019/07/03/indieterria-review-may-by-deadwing/
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 