The Returners

"CORPUS CHRISTI — Rik Dachau, lead vocalist of the Los Angeles gothic punk quartet The Returners, said his band has opened for the Koffin Kats so many times he can’t remember them all. The current tour, however, marks the first extensive support run with the band.

“We’re doing a full tour starting from our hometown in California, across to Florida, up the coast and then ending in the Koffin Kats’ hometown of Detroit,” Dachau said.

The Returners first formed some five years ago when founding members began comparing notes during shifts at a Huntington Beach punk clothing shop called the Electric Chair.

“We all wanted to start a different kind of band, influenced by the Californian punk sound we grew up on but with a darker edge,” Dachau said via email, noting that his musical resume includes stints in the political punk bands Resist and Exist and Inhumane Nature.

The band released its debut studio effort, a single called “We Die Alone,” began touring and endured a few lineup changes along the way. Guitarist Jae Rose joined the band in 2009 and Adam Delamorte, the band’s third guitarist, joined this year.

In keeping with the band’s devotion to the death punk genre, The Returners took their name from a relatively obscure 1994 comedic horror flick, “Cemetery Man.”

“In the movie ‘Cemetery Man,’ the Returners were those who died and came back to life seven days later. Though bearing the macabre decay of death, some maintained the sentiency that they had in life: they linger there somewhere between life and death,” Dachau said. “To us, the name exemplifies the feeling of being a part of this world but at the same time dead to it.”

The Returners issued several CD-EPs before their debut full-length CD, “Lost Souls,” was released on iTunes in 2010. The CD version of the project, delayed for a time following a financial setback, was released this year.

The project includes recordings by several producers including Dave Klein (Agent Orange, The Bomboras) and Brent Clawson (Bullets and Octane, Wednesday 13). A prolific bunch, The Returners are already planning two new recording projects for 2012.

The Returners continue build on their local fan base because of the strength of repeated tour stops, which began with a show at the House of Rock several years ago.

“The very first time we played in Corpus (Christi), the Corpus Christi Horror Society was there and a cable access show screened ‘Hard Rock Zombies’ for the midnight movie, it was a great night,” Dachau said. “Since then, we’ve played in Corpus (Christi) nearly a dozen times. We love coming to Texas, it’s definitely a home away from home.” - Caller.com

"Southern California’s horror punk foursome brings their latest release: an amalgamation of ‘80s death rock and hardcore. Despair, the human condition, and death are dissected amid heavy chords and crackling drums, but Rik Dachau’s piercing vocals—the likes of Paul Dickinson—are enough to make you shut up and listen. For those that haven’t had the pleasure, Rik’s voice shines like gold glimpsed through drab sediment. The anthemic “Lost Souls” made me want to sing along and circle a pit, while “Autumn Winds” brings the deepest, darkest metal crunch of the album. For those that appreciate AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and rockers that Sing, with a capital S." - Razorcake

"The first full length release by The Returners, titled Lost Souls, is a hardcore gothic punk intensity for fans of the Misfits, GBH, and Agnostic Front. Horror punk at its finest. The CD starts out with a nice creepy dialogue from an old horror movie, giving the CD the classic horror feel. The real fun doesn’t kick in until the amazing 3rd track titled Staring into the Abyss.

So, who are The Returners? They are a punk/gothic band from California who have played shows with Wednesday 13, 69 Eyes, Agent Orange, and even The Misfits. On Lost Souls The Returners cover a Danzig song titled Soul on Fire. This is a well-done play it loud kind of CD.

The Returners’ Lost Souls is a fierce gothic whip on your punk ass." - Dark Grave

"OC goth-punk isn't exactly a surprise; some the Adolescents' key members were the ones who joined up with Rozz Williams create Christian Death back in the early '80s, so there was always going to be some aggressive sonic love at work amid all the chimes and incense. Throw in the fact that the Damned will never not have a blast around here--they're playing Halloween in Anaheim for a reason--and Misfits logos as far as the eye can see and the result can be a band like the Returners. When you're fronted by a lead singer named Rik Dachau, it's a little hard not to be punk to start with.


Though not quite a new release, Lost Souls, the trio's debut album, does sound like a modern record of its kind, for all of the many antecedents, a little more AFI than TSOL, say. The group's generally quick, fast-paced clip through things is pretty well what one would expect, but it's not without spooks and humor as well, as evidenced when a snippet of Chopin's famous funeral march, arranged for guitars, closes the title track.

For all the bravura, there's a softer side, even if emo is a dirty word in some corners: the understated breaks on "One Step Away" set against the big gang shouts let a tender heart break out just enough before quickly hiding it, suiting Dachau's singing voice, half nervous yawp and half Epitaph mid-'90s charge ahead.

The slower grind of the conclusion to "Mourning Yesterday" is brash arena rock in a different trapping, getting away with it with style, while "Killing Game" works that approach even more effectively, a total should-be-on-alt-radio number, or at least a trailer or TV placement, that has just enough character around the edges to keep it enjoyable. And when "Love Like Suicide" has the kind of snaky guitar line that just suggests Agent Orange and even older roots enough, you get the sense that somewhere Lux Interior is nodding with approval, clicking his pumps in the afterlife." - OC Weekly

"The Returners were more to my liking. Even though I think The Misfits is the most over-rated band in punk history, it has still influenced many worthwhile bands like this one. Listening to and watching these four talented lads energetically jumping and beating the hell out of themselves and their instruments, I thought maybe they should change the band’s name to “Thrashain.” Everything was big, loud, and jackhammer strong, especially the drums, which were primal, precise, and full of death-rocky mournful strength. Even though there was only an audience of eighteen inside The Venue at the time, every member gave an effort of 110%. I watched the vibration of a plastic water bottle sitting in front of the bass amp and it buzzed so much the water looked carbonated. The tempo changes were well-placed, serving to allow the band and audience to catch its collective breath before another full-on aural attack..." - Razorcake

"..I’ve seen The Returners a few times over the last several months and these guys always deliver with their punked out death rock. The Returners' live set is intense and always wins over anyone who hasn’t seen them before.” - Fatally Yours