Horror-infused metalcore band Dead Things explodes onto the scene this year with their new cinematically engaging single "Mouth Sewn Shut." The brainchild of vocalist Derek Dillon, co-owner of Kleaver Klothing with Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills and recorded with Pasqueralla Recordings along with Dan Sugarman of Ice Nine Kills, "Mouth Sewn Shut" is bound to make a killing within the genre.
When it comes to mixing rock music, horror, and fashion, it becomes a beautifully massive macabre fusion that is attractive and fearless. It's a combination that leaves many listeners in the scene coming back for more. Looking at bands like Ice Nine Kills, this recipe took them straight to the top.
“Since the dawn of Rock and Roll fashion has always been a major piece of the puzzle. Kleaver has been a baby that I’ve been fortunate enough to raise with my best friend in the world.
Spencer and I go way back and we have a bond that was forged over our mutual love for the world of horror and the macabre. Because Ice Nine Kills is the horror juggernaut that it is, it honestly forces me to have to be a little more creative with how I go about putting my spin on music.”
Not just because it was daring and kept you hooked with every frighteningly unexampled album release, but because it broke away from traditional metalcore tropes across the spectrum. Looking at horror-infused metalcore band Dead Things, it seems like the torches burn brightly again for another band to come forth to continue the horror-metalcore tradition in stride with their new single "Mouth Sewn Shut."
The brainchild child of Derek Dillion, co-owner of Kleaver Klothing with close friend and Ice Nine Kills frontman and lead vocalist Spencer Charnas, it comes as no surprise that the band meshes so well with the heavy, intricate, and cinematic styles that they bring to the table. Recording the track was also a collaborative process. Involved was none other than the talented Randy Pasqueralla of Pasqueralla Recordings over in New York as well as Dan Sugarman of the famous starlit horror heavy-hitters Ice Nine Kills.
Terrifyingly atmospheric, individually dramatic, and lyrically intense, "Mouth Sewn Shut" still creatively keeps within the vehicle of metalcore but is not afraid to bring in flavors to make this compelling. While Dead Things is just starting to make their mark in the genre, "Mouth Sewn Shut" is just the beginning of something intriguing and energizing to the metalcore genre.
What made you want to start Dead Things?
Derek: I think I speak for the whole band when I say that the reason why it was so important for us to want to start Dead Things is very similar to how Paul and Gene created Kiss. We truly wanted to be the band that we always wanted to see, but it didn’t exist.
What are your musical influences? There is this ariose cinematic horror-driven aspect behind it but also impactfully heavy.
Derek: Ironically, I don't listen to heavy music as much as I did when I was a teenager. Personally, the likes of Kiss, the late Meatloaf, and Elvis is where it all started for me. Meatloaf’s "Bat Out Of Hell" was one of the first things I ever listened to where it was as if a movie started playing as the song went on.
So between that and my love of Horror movies, it seemed like a natural path to creating horror-inspired music that captured the cinematic feel that artists that I loved so much growing up were able to do.
I want to talk about the lyrical aspect of "Mouth Sewn Shut." Can we tap into that a bit?
Derek: The lyrical aspect of "Mouth Sewn Shut" is quite different than any other song we wrote. Once we were quite deep into the recording process, I started toying with the idea of a futuristic drug called “Thread”. It is a drug that you take intravenously and it has horrible side effects. It turns you into a homicidal maniac and urges you to sew the mouths of others.
You have been working with Randy of Pasqueralla of Pasqueralla Recordings over in New York as well as Dan Sugarman of Ice Nine Kills. How has that impacted the creative process for you guys?
Derek: We have been working with Randy for years, really since the birth of Dead Things..he’s always been an unofficial member of the band in a lot of ways. For the last few songs, we have been lucky enough to get Dan Sugarman’s virtuoso fingers in our stuff and it has been a blast.
Sometimes I will start a song from scratch with Dan and send the idea off to the boys.
Then sometimes Eric and Joey will take the bones for a song idea that we have and flesh it out with Randy. Once there is a song framed out, they send it to me and Dan in Los Angeles where we start getting our hands dirty with the song. Doing things this way has had such a positive impact on the creative process. We have so many great minds on our songs and we can crank songs out that we are proud of and stand behind.
I know you also work and co-own Kleaver Klothing with Spencer Charnas. How has that experience been going? Does that also tie into the kind of music you make as far as the creative process? How do fashion and music tie into your career as a whole?
Derek: Since the dawn of Rock and Roll fashion has always been a major piece of the puzzle. Kleaver has been a baby that I’ve been fortunate enough to raise with my best friend in the world. Spencer and I go way back and we have a bond that was forged over our mutual love for the world of horror and the macabre.
Because Ice Nine Kills is the horror juggernaut that it is, it honestly forces me to have to be a little more creative with how I go about putting my spin on music. I can satisfy INK fans without lacking originality.
Fashion and music have always been identifying factors for both artists and fans. Artists always want to set new trends whether it’s with fashion or music. I think Kleaver allows fans of Dead Things and Ice Nine Kills to be a part of a club that Spencer and myself have created.
What else can we expect down the line from you guys? Can we expect any more music for the remainder of 2022 or touring? If this expands a new chapter for you guys, it's only telling half the story of what's to come for you guys.
Derek: As far as our plans for the rest of 2022 and the future in general, you can expect a whole lot from Dead Things. We have another few songs nearing completion that we will be releasing through the spring and summer.
Fans should expect to see us hitting the road and touring by the end of the year, and possibly even an album cataloging all of our singles and chronicling our story so far plus a few bonus tracks.