Dead Modern Villains

Something to Do – Bluesy, old-school, classic rock sound with more edge & heaviness than you’d expect. Very catchy grooves found here. I’d say this is probably the best of the 5 listed; it perfectly meshes the hook with a quirky start-stop riff. The pre-solo section is very well done and really “resets” the mind of the listener – I feel like I can never get sick of that main lick.

Bottle of Pills – Has a Southern rock feel with an alternative rock presentation. Intro sounds very Blur-y. Overall it’s like a Nirvana meets CCR/Rolling Stones (with that storytelling-style delivery). Scream at the end was totally unexpected, at first I was expecting some sort of John Fogerty style wail, but it was instead given a breath of fresh air with a modern twist – no pun intended.

Silence – More minimalist, stripped down, & Kings of Leon-esque. Took me by surprise. Sounded much “quieter” and reserved. Very rhythm oriented and not quite as busy as the other tracks, good change of pace. There’s a definite sense of “tone” with this song – sounded more serious and personal opposed to the in-your-face

Hindsight is 20/20 – Old school metal with a nice buzz saw guitar sound – definite punk feel. Chorus is real beefy and stomps on the brakes, definitely some Pantera influence in here. This song is in-your-face: pedal-to-the-metal verses, breakneck grooves, a short and sassy solo, and a punchy and thrashy closer.

Baby Doll – Raw & raunchy rock’n’roll but still bouncy & poppy, almost “light” sounding in comparison (but that could very well be attributed to this particular mix). Has a L.A.-meets-south rock style. Fun song with dark lyrics – very GnR inspired. I appreciate it’s simplicity and it’s instantly grabbing structure, but at the same time I feel like I’m listening to 2 riffs and a solo, whereas the other songs provide more variety.

Overall – Every track has a well-written chorus. There always seems to be a unique twist to every song, something to catch listeners on their first experience. Multiple listens are rewarding and ear-opening with solos, interesting bass work, and flexible/adaptable drumming. These five tracks demonstrate a real chameleon-like ability – taking a little bit of something from everywhere and throwing it in the mix. Just from the variety in atmosphere of the songs these guys write, you can tell they are well versed in all that is rock. There’s something for everyone here, DMV are a rock’n’roll buffet.

Jordan Jerabek Freelance writer/music critic, Decibel Consulting & Design - Jordan Jerabek - Freelance writer/music critic

I read a headline in the Green Bay Press Gazette the other day that a venue that was well known for throwing some of the biggest shows in area closed their doors. Tom, Dick and Harry’s of Ashwaubenon closed, it’s a bit of a story that I won’t get into here, but you can read about it here it you would like.

The venue as far as a photographer looks at things was a beauty. Great big stage, lots of lights, front lit and back lit performers. It was honestly one of the “easiest” places that I can remember to shoot live performances, mainly because when they had a show, they did it right. The last show that I shot there was for The Dead Modern Villains. I actually was asked to come along with a friend of mine and shoot together. Have a few brews with the band, shoot some pictures, and have a good time. Needless to say, we got some great shots for these guys. And for those of you that may have been there that night, we all know that these guys showed-up the headliner (some washed-up 80's band that I already forget their name). Great show Dave, Keith and Mitch!

Shows like this one are really fun for me. Music is a huge passion of mine and honestly if I could go to a show like this every night of the week I think that I would be one happy camper. Know any bands/musicians that are looking for photography? Feel free to point them to me or leave a link in the comments! - Michael Wiesman