Death
N.E.W.
DRAG CITY/TRYANGLE
5/10
While it’s impossible to confirm, the first punk band ever might have been a God-fearing trio of African American brothers from Detroit, Michigan, called Death. Formed in the early ’70s, the Hackneys turned out loud, annoying rock and roll that predated all the mountains of noise to come. Alas, very few people would ever hear of Death, until 2009, that is, when Chicago-based record label Drag City stepped in and released the band’s early works. Since then, Death has experienced a minor renaissance, but the group’s current release, N.E.W.—its first new material in decades and first release since original guitarist David passed away in 2000—is an unfortunately uneven collection of Detroit hard rock that’s trying way too hard to stay relevant. While there’s no denying that the band has always had a spiritual side—which is on full display on “Story of the World” and “At the Station”—the awkward and lackluster lyrics ultimately detract from the trio’s positive message, as opposed to enhancing it.
