By: Jay Broderick - Most topics in life can debated. One thing that cannot be challenged however, is that the 1980s were far and away the best decade for thrash metal. It's the decade that the heavy metal sub-genre saw its first light, and California was its birth place with bands like Slayer, Exodus and Metallica. Soon after, a scene broke out in New York with Anthrax, and the powerful speed of thrash metal also appeared on Canadian soil. Canadian Godfather's Exciter were the first, and bands like Sacrifice, Razor, and Voivod were soon kicking serious ass in various parts of the world.
A little bit of a lesser known band from Montreal also came onto the scene when Combat Records released the band's first album in 1987. Dead Brain Cells (simply known as DBC to those in the know), a 4-piece band consisting of Eddie Shahini on guitars, Phil Dakin on bass and vocals, Gerry Ouellette on guitars and Jeff St. Louis on drums started expanding from their local scene. More shows in other Canadian cities were on the docket, people started talking, and the quartet were getting noticed.
It was in 1989 when I first caught wind of the band when they released their 2nd album Universe. The band made their first video for the lead track "The Genesis Explosion", and my buddies and I were blown away. Never mind the big bang... the track resulted in a mind explosion! After hearing the track, I immediately ran out to grab the CD (one of my first of this new format), and we LOVED it!!
Despite new demos being written for a 3rd album, challenges with a new record deal, and the death of guitarist Gerry Ouellette, the trajectory of the band sadly came to a halt. They did reunite in 2003, and have continued to play live shows since that time.
Until now.... FINALLY, in 2024, the band has released 2 new tracks, and it's our duty to take a listen, and share our thoughts!!!
Pendulum
This track explodes out of the gate with a quick guitar lead and crunching accompaniment from the rhythm, bass and drums setting the pace for some 1980s thrash metal nostalgia. Phil Dakin's voice cracks in at the 37 second mark... "It's time to live your life today", and the past 33 years seem as though they never existed. Once the chorus kicks in, the track almost sounds anthemic. Immediately out of the chorus, we get a guitar lead that brings me back to the glory days of Slayer and Megadeth. This is something that has sorely become forgotten in the new age of heavy metal, and it brings a smile. Despite the hiatus, it seems as though DBC has not forgotten these finer elements. A bridge, and subsequent guitar solo around the 2 minute mark sets up the final stanza for a track that I'm slowly grooving my head to.
Sirens
The second of the 2 new tracks that were released 2 weeks ago is entitled "Sirens". The song has the same groove style that "Pendulum" has and it has me nodding my head as the tempo builds over the opening seconds. With Dakin's throatier voice and crunchier guitar, this track has a much heavier feel. As the beat breaks again around the 2 minute mark, followed by yet another glorious guitar lead, this song stands above the previous, but that's no slight against "Pendulum".
With guest guitarist Emanuel Iradian, and Louis Levesque on drums, Eddie Shahini, and Phil Dakin have released 2 great new songs. With 3 plus decades having passed us by, I feel a little melancholy. But with new music in our grasps, I feel an air of excitement. Perhaps this is a teaser of a new album on the horizon with another 8-10 tracks yet to be feasted upon. At a minimum, a live Toronto show would be superb!
DBC Online
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