Four years after their sophomore album School of Thought, nu metal outfit DED are back and better than ever with their third studio album, Resent. After having experienced business-related setbacks the past few years and enduring a tumultuous recording process, DED are ready to take on the world at large. Now signed to independent record label UNFD, this record is their reintroduction to the scene.
School of Thought was a shift in sound for the band. Their debut album, Mis-An-Thrope, had a very strong nu metal sound in 2017 before the genre's resurgence in popularity during the 2020's. However, their second album was produced by Kevin Churko, who also worked on albums from Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, Skillet, and Disturbed in the 2010's. School of Thought showed similarities to the sound of these bands, straying from the rap rock sound that they showed a few years prior. Now, Resent sees DED return to the root of their sound from Mis-An-Thrope, while also displaying influences from a multitude of genres such as thrash metal, hardcore, hip-hop, metalcore, experimental, rock, and of course nu metal.
The album opens up with the hard-hitting "Wasted", which bounces between rapping unclean vocals over a sick beat and low-pitched almost hypnotic-like singing, a classic nu metalcore sound. Upon first listen, this was the heaviest song I'd ever heard DED cook up thus far (spoiler alert: this album gets heavier). Other songs that show off the band's mashup and nu metal and metalcore include "You Want Honest?", "Never Belong", and "Point of No Return". I'd even go as far as saying that "Rise Above It All" sounds like a straight up metalcore song from 2014, which checks out since it features Danny Leal of Upon A Burning Body.
"Until I Die" also features another iconic metalcore vocalist in Chris Motionless of Motionless in White fame. While this track combines nu metal and metalcore, there is an element of another genre in this glorious mix: thrash metal. There's a sweet guitar solo, not commonly found in the nu metal genre, allowing guitarist Alex Adamcik to show off that he knows how to work his way around his guitar. Another shredding solo can be found in the blistering "Dig Deep", even opening with a riff that wouldn't sound out of place on a Testament album.
Moving even further away from nu-adjacent genres, DED have shown an affinity for a catchy pop-like chorus on multiple songs. Their most recent single release before the album drop and radio-friendly song, "Purpose: Be Myself" has the most catchy chorus, which has definitely spawned an earworm that has lodged in my brain. "Eraser" makes me want to sing along, dance, and bang my head. It's a great song to capture people's attention upon first listen, and it promotes a great message as well. The song is about waking up and choosing to be the best version of oneself after putting in the work to unlearn negative attributes. Great vocals, lyrics, and instruments combine to make these two of the strongest tracks on the album.
Yet another genre explored on this record is hip-hop. Of course, being a nu metal band, they've incorporated elements of it before, but not to this extent. Songs like "Rock$tar", "Eraser", "Fuck With It", "Rise Above It All", and "Fight Forever (2 Rot)" allow vocalist Joe Cotela to put his rap skills on full display. All of these songs have great rhythm and groove, making for the perfect background to the flow of the lyrics.
Each band member shines brightly on this album. Alex Adamcik wrote some heavy as hell riffs, as well as exhibiting his guitar shredding chops. Drummer Matt Reinhard knows how to craft a catchy hip-hop beat while also integrating some Slipknot-era Joey Jordison-esque drums in a song like "Purpose: Be Myself". Kyle Koelsch on the bass excels in adding a deep, gritty tone to each song, especially in "Fight Forever (2 Rot)". Then we have frontman Joe Cotela wrapping everything together with the nice bow that is his vocal ability. I've been a fan of DED since their debut, and Cotela pleasantly surprised me with the range of styles he can execute. Everything from clean melodies, death metal gutturals, spitting bars, high pitched screams - he can do it all.
Personally, I'd have to say that "Until I Die" is my favorite song. I imagine it would be so fun to see live because of the energy that it brings, resulting in screaming "fuck you", jumping, pushing, and mosh pits. It puts the pedal to the metal, never letting up on the intensity. It's a fantastic way to close an album, subverting the expectation that a closer should wind down the ferocity. No, this song ensures that the record goes off with a bang. Honorable mention goes to "Never Belong", in my opinion the heaviest offering on this album.
Resent is clearly a labor of love. DED went back to their humble beginnings, delivering that nu metal sound that took the rock world by storm in 2017. From those roots, they branched out and experimented with different genres to blend it all together to create this wonderful record. After facing trials and tribulations over the past four years, the band just wanted to have fun again. Resent shows DED at their happiest, heaviest, and best. This album keeps it fresh and constantly switches things up, never getting stale or repetitive. It's well worth the listen.
