The Dead Love

The three piece boast a harder and grunge influenced sound. These Sydney based dudes definitely flexed their guitar muscles with ease and it was a pleasure to watch them do their thing on stage. With such high quality acts from local bands such as these, one would think there would be no question as to whether there should be more venues open for live music in Sydney. - The Music

Rock is still well and truly alive at the ‘Dale and louder than ever and, maybe this reviewer is getting old, but it was the first time a pair of ear plugs were requested from the bar person, a steal at a buck a piece. That said, it suited The Dead Love’s sweaty pub-rock-inspired set that had a lot of energy and drew a substantial crowd early on. The Sydney trio demonstrated some tight playing, theatrics and a lot of ambition, with their sound being a mixed bag of progressive rock, indie and even metal. The gathered crowd and an enthusiastic mob up the front were obviously very much enjoying the moment. - The Music

This Sydney based three-piece borrow fairly heavily from their obvious heroes Nirvana, in their unashamedly grungy sound. But it's a strong influence as opposed to being a direct copy, and this EP is a rollicking good time.

One of the things that sets these guys apart from the pack as far as the 'grunge revival' movement is concerned, is the fact that they bring the fun to the grunge. You can see the band members having an absolute ball writing and recording these tunes, rather than standing around acting morose and frowning at each other. And it shows out in the lyrics (which are, for the most part, about drinking, smoking and partying), and the general energy and exuberance of their delivery. 'Party Grunge', you might call it. You can see a sweaty pub full of punters going absolutely off to these songs too.

It's not to say these guys aren't very serious about what they do at the same time. There is some serious songcraft going on here, and the musicianship and production qualities are pretty top notch as well. These guys aren't mucking around while they're having their fun.

The Dead Love have come up with an enjoyable and varied collection of tunes on this EP. Bring on a full length album.

Best track: Anathamatize

If you like these, you'll dig this: Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Grinspoon

In a word: Fun
- See more at: http://www.beat.com.au/music/dead-love-dead-love?quicktabs_1=1#sthash.gofTuhpr.dpuf - Beat Magazine

Meanwhile Sydney-based band The Dead Love were truly remarkable and performed an amazingly tight set of post-grunge mayhem. Look out for those guys. - The Music

I had heard many good things about this band before tonight, but I feel that hardly anything I was told did this awesome live performance any justice. This band is a high energy; four on the floor hard rock band that are quite the force to be reckoned with. While their songs aren’t overly complex, they are extremely well crafted, well produced, and above all, very easy to listen to.
Now although these guys are relatively young as a band, don’t be fooled into thinking they lack experience, as they have toured with many notable Australian bands (MM9, TRIAL KENNEDY, STRANGERS) and they project an air of confidence that I just do not see in many other bands when they take to the stage. Word on the street is that these boys have been busy recording their debut album in Austin, Texas (USA) in July / August of this year, so keep an eye and an ear out for THE DEAD LOVE as I have a feeling we’re going to be seeing and hearing a lot more from these guys in the not too distant future. - SFMedia

Transitions
Independent
Release Date: Out Now
Review by Rod Whitfield
This is very impressive stuff indeed. This Sydney based act have pulled out all stops to make an interesting, varied and compelling rock album, and succeeded on virtually all levels, this album is a real surprise packet.
These guys cover much musical territory over the course of 12 tracks, within the framework of an alternative rock sound, at times channelling LED ZEPELLIN (Back to You), maybe someone like THE KILLERS (Atlantis, which is excellent), JET (Sun Comes Out to Play, which also gets a little HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS on your arse in the latter stages) and even SHIHAD (No Secrets), but still doing it in their own quirky way. There are soft, piano based, string soaked ballads, touches of electronica, pounding heavy rock, punky moments, and all points in between. There is SO much on on this record, and they manage to make it all very cohesive and damn catchy, all at once.
The production is a touch on the old-school side, but it’s still damn slick, clear and powerful, making this album playable on any radio station, anywhere in the world. If only our own commercial rock stations would pick it up and give it some serious rotation.
This band sure as hell ain’t in any ‘transitional’ phase, if this album is anything to go by, they are in a creative sweet spot right now. This is a must-have Aussie rock album of 2014. - SF MEDIA

Having shared a stage with some seriously big acts – we’re talking Aerosmith and Van Halen here, people – it’s no surprise that the lads from The Dead Love can crank out an awesome rock album. The three-piece from Sydney definitely fall in the alt-rock category, but there’s some punky undertones here and there that make vocalist/guitarist Stevie Knight’s riffs really stand out. Ably supported by the rhythm section – bassist Clint Ossington and drummer Chris Blancato – Knight does a stellar job, covering both harder tracks (like the Karnivool-esque opening track ‘This is a War’) and softer ballads with ease.

Track 7, ‘Western Hooker’, is a real standout: Ossington’s opening riff is catchy as all hell, Blancato’s thunderous drumming just plain kicks arse and Knight pulls off a vocal style that would put Scott Weiland to shame. It’s the kind of track that would be an absolute blast to see the band perform live; the studio version makes one hell of an impact, and the band’s vaunted live presence would take it to the next level. The other tracks on the album tend to be along the same lines – high energy, in-your-face rock that would be at home in a packed stadium.

The band makes use of synth here and there, and while it supports their sound well, it tends to be a bit overpowering in places and seems a little out of place. However, it’s far from a major issue, and Transitions is most definitely a debut album to be proud of.

By Alastair McGibbon - FORTE MAG

Transitions is the slick debut album from Sydney trio The Dead Love, and pays homage to their grungy alt-rock roots with a fresher, more polished vibe. The Dead Love craftily weave classical piano, horns and electronic elements into their high-voltage, no-frills brand of rock. Produced in the heart of America’s live music capital Austin, Texas, by Chris ‘Frenchie’ Smith (Jet, The Dandy Warhols), Transitions is a fun, well-balanced album that takes you on a floor-stomping journey. It’s jam-packed with charging anthems like ‘Shine’ and ‘The Desert Sun’ that will have your tongue wagging to sing along. Stevie Knight’s husky vocals soar with convincing emotion and draw you into his band’s hypnotic arms. There’s a distinct rawness and attitude underpinning the album, and tracklist highlights ‘Zombie Ghost Town’ and ‘No Secrets’ are sure to get your blood pumping with their throttling riffs. You’re hurtled through the intense anarchy of whisky-soaked evenings to the more introspective moments that shape everyday life. Need a dose of soul in your rock’n’roll? The Dead Love are the real deal. 4/5. - THE BRAG

Rock’n’roll is alive and well, and it’s found on Transitions, the debut record for Sydney trio The Dead Love. Cut from the same cloth as Foo Fighters, Kasabian and, more recently, Kingswood and The Delta Riggs, the band are at their finest when they’re throwing down solid, guitar-driven rock tunes. Ballad-leaning moments like Past Present Future are not as convincing, but tracks like the Stones-influenced Sun Comes Out To Play are accessible, fun and sure to get toes tapping when delivered live. Transitions is earnest and offers music fans another reason to love the local scene. - THE MUSIC

What immediately drew us to this record is the nostalgic vibe that hit us head on, grabbed hold of us and didn't let go until the end of the last song.

This record could be the soundtrack to so many of our favorite movies from growing up like Mallrats or American Pie.

The Dead Love are from Sydney, Australia and they are known for being rock and roll monsters of the highest order. 'So Whatever' does nothing but reinforce this notion. They make noisy, catchy, airtight but also messy rock music that we can essentially promise you're gonna get into.

'Summer' reminds us of growing up, being an awkward and self conscious teenager. This reminds us a little bit of Incubus mixed with Silverchair mixed with a bunch of other great stuff. It's an album we will listen to again and again. 'Friend' is easily one of our favorite songs of 2016, even though it feels like we have been jamming to it since 1996 (and we mean that in the best way).

This record is a homerun. The sophomore release from The Dead Love is a fantastic collection of tunes that we will be listening to forever. We can't wait. - fingersonblast.com

Fresh from a stint in Canada, The Dead Love hit the stage to a packed room. From the get-go, it was evident these dudes were seasoned performers and musicians. I feel there is always a noticeable difference between bands that have toured overseas and bands that haven’t and The Dead Love executed a flawless set that was raw, energetic and captivating.

Everyone in the crowd was moving in some capacity throughout the show. Frown was a standout tune, as was Untitled by Association. Both songs had great dynamics and brought about feelings of nostalgia with strong early-Silverchair vibes.

For a three-piece, the sound was huge and the guys worked well as a unit to produce a set that was extremely cohesive and high-energy. I also feel that their luscious hair may hold secret powers. Summer, also from their new album, was a sweet reprieve that gave the audience a chance to catch their breath. Zombie Ghost Town from their first album brought things to life again and was a stand out in the set.

The 90s are happening in a big way right now and it seems The Dead Love, who have really found their sound on this second album, are present at the right time. They are bringing 90s grunge to audiences in a modern way and are absolutely an act to keep an eye on. - Heavymag.com.au

Almost at the end of Music Week The Aussie BBQ took over The Horseshoe Tavern, for a showcase literally making people jump off of the walls. The Aussie BBQ, a showcase featuring some of Australia’s best talents, had an afternoon full of loud, hair flipping, amazing bands with a sound so great it bled out onto Queen West. The show stopper of the showcase had to be The Dead Love. A three piece rock band rowdy, loud and full of enough grit to leave the audience breathless and screaming for just one more song. - JESUS SISTER

Canadian Music Week 2016 was terribly good this year. There were so many sweet rock bands in town that it was absolutely impossible to hit every show one would have wanted to. Thankfully for us, we DID catch Sydney, Australia's grunge rock trio, The Dead Love, at the Horseshoe Tavern as part of the Aussie BBQ's CMW Showcase. Our first time enjoying the band live, there was not one thing about their performance that wasn't utterly satisfying. Scored some sweet shots thanks to Mikaela Bodin - puregrainaudio.com