In the four years since I first discovered and subsequently reviewed Dead Heat upon the release of their last album, World at War, I’ve come a long way, and so has the band. Like countless other aspiring underground metal acts in the post-pandemic era, Dead Heat have spent the past few years touring nonstop, and its certainly paid off. In just the past year alone, the band landed high profile opening slots for legends like Exodus and Cavalera, the latter whom they supported when I last saw them. As they thrash n’ slammed their way through a 30 minute set, I couldn’t help but think, “Man, these guys really ARE the bastard spawn of Cro-Mags and Leeway. How sick.”
So imagine my shock when learning that their latest album, Process of Elimination, is not that at all. A couple songs in, and I had to do a double take. Surely, this can’t be the same Dead Heat I fell in love with back in ’21, can it? And if it is, who the hell pissed in their cereal? That’s right folks, Dead Heat are back with their fastest, darkest, and most metallic album to date. Considering the trajectory of the very acts they look up to (the OG hardcore to blistering thrash pipeline), I shouldn’t be too surprised by this plot twist, but man, I was just getting used to those ignorant mosh breakdowns!
While Process of Elimination boasts enough hardcore spirit to be categorized as a crossover thrash album, its riffs and production share much more in common with straightforward thrash than your by the numbers crossover affair. Just get a load of cuts like “Perpetual Punishment”, “Hidebound”, and “Solace Denied”, to name a few. These ain’t no hardcore riffs played with a metallic twist. These are flat out, breakneck retro speed-thrash fretboard frenzies, reminiscent of Slayer and Sepultura. Now admittedly, I did notice a Slayer influence on World at War, but on here, it’s as if the band binge listened to Reign in Blood before hitting the studio.
How does Dead Heat handle this sudden change of pace? In all fairness, rather well! The songs are total rapid fire, leaving little room to breathe and ask, “What the hell just happened?”, as is the entire album for that matter, clocking in at just a little under 35 minutes. The dense, intimidating delivery can be compared to fellow modern day crossover kings, Enforced (the heirs to Power Trip’s throne), although the songs aren’t that strong just yet. On the contrary, there aren’t any low points to be found on Process of Elimination either. Save for the odd noise collage and obligatory crew anthem (“DH Stomp”), this album is fast and hostile from top to bottom.
Despite this reinvention, Dead Heat are anything but dead. These youthful crossover crushers are in it for the long haul, choosing to be as hardcore or as metal as they want to be on any given release. In the case of Process of Elimination, it’s the latter, though I’m sure your neighborhood hardcore kid will find plenty on here to terrorize mosh pits to. Though I’m not certain what the future holds for Dead Heat, something tells me it entails more touring, more moshing, and most of all, more metal! Stomp on, DH! Stomp on!
7 out of 10
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Crossover Thrash
For fans of: Slayer, Power Trip, Enforced