Industrial rock does not always get its due, but it has been pounding away for decades, with its cult origins dating back to the late ’70s. American collective Stabbing Westward is surely part of the ethos of the turbulent genre, and their latest track “Dead and Gone” is hard proof of that. According to Consequence of Sound, the new song is the title track of the group’s latest EP and is also the first piece of new music released by the band since 2001.
Dead and Gone contains only three new tracks: “Dead and Gone,” “Cold,” and “Crawl” and two remixes of the first two, but each has all the fury and vibrancy that has characterized the group since their reunion in 2016. The title track has all you have to come to expect: crunchy electric guitar overtures, atmospheric synth swells, and passionate vocals that lead to euphoric breakdowns. The mastery the group has on its sound now allows for additional elements that enhance the music, such as the traditional unrelenting percussion that is blended with electronic elements for a hard-hitting sound.
The accompanying video for the song is just as exciting as the track with its dramatic lighting providing a sense of urgency to the scenes. Frontman Christopher Hall is in fine form in the new song and seems equally comfortable in the other two new tunes “Cold” and “Crawl. Consequence of Sound reports Hall posted on Facebook that the EP is the first of three new EPs that will eventually add up to form a complete album. For both casual listeners and ardent fans of the group, the fire is raging inside Stabbing Westward as the collective enjoys this new chapter in its history.
Stream the video for the new single below via YouTube for a taste of things to come from the Illinois group.