Metal doesn’t need to be complicated. Irish trio Dead Label have steadily built a reputation as one of their homeland’s most explosive young bands, and second album Throne Of Bones is such a joyful eruption of hard-grooving and unpretentious modern thrash that it’s hard to imagine the band heading anywhere but up from here. It also helps that they have a way with words.
“The song Throne Of Bones set the tone for the album, so we decided to make that the title,” says drummer Claire Percival. “The song itself was inspired by corrupt governments abusing their own citizens and all the messed up things happening in the world right now. Plus it’s a badass title, it’s a metal album, and that’s what you need for a metal album… a badass title!”
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Hailing from Celbridge, a small town in County Kildare, Dead Label could be forgiven for not having ventured too far from their home, but this band have toured relentlessly over the last few years. As a result, they’ve experienced the highs and lows of life on the road and seem more than well-equipped for the arduous journey ahead.
“On tour last year we slept in what can only be described as a crack den in Kraków,” Claire recalls. “On tour with Fear Factory last year we slept in the attic of a Chinese restaurant somewhere in Germany and we are pretty sure we stayed in the hotel from The Shining too. One supreme low was playing at a Starbucks in Eugene, Oregon, but only to the sound guy… and then the sound guy left.”
Minor setbacks aside, Dead Label are clearly a driven bunch and Throne Of Bones sounds like the work of a band with energy and commitment to spare.
“We’ve had our share of low points, but we love touring and no amount of them will ever stop us from achieving our goals,” Claire grins. “It’s the lows that make the tours so unpredictable and awesome!”
