Dead South Dealers - Walk Through The Line (Sliptrick Records)

I’m finding that I’m having a bit of a hankering for Southern Rock at present and it was with a bit of luck that I came across the debut album from Dead South Dealers – Walk Through The Line, which is being released through Sliptrick Records on 23 July 2017.

The band, hailing from Greece, has cited influences from Godfathers of metal Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, as well as modern masters Clutch and Alter Bridge for their sound. The sound is pure Southern Rock. Powerful, emotional vocals, heavy riffs, a very strong rhythm section that pumps out some loud and noticeable driving bass lines that are not out of place. The album is nine tracks of solid effort, and everything is grooving, even in the slower tracks.

I found it interesting that the band hails from Greece as the sound is not something I would expect to associate with the Mediterranean. However I think the fact that it took me to read up the Bio to find that particular fact out gives you the idea their sound is doesn’t belay their heritage.

Walk Through The Line was recorded at Soundflakes Studios in Athens, Greece. The production, recording and mixing was done by John Mcris (4Bitten, Anorimoi, Dimlight) and the mastering undertaken by Alan Douches (Motorhead, Clutch, Mastodon,) of West West Side Music Studios in NY, USA

Track Listing:

Note To Self
S.D.
Lost Within Time
Wrong Cargo
Gone
Walk Through The Line
Keep ‘Em Coming
Fairies Of The Swamp
Vinnie The Vet

Tracks of note are:

Note To Self. This gets things rocking with a nice lick before becoming a rollicking riff and introducing the listener to the powerful voice of Pavlos Kroustis. Pavlos sounds a bit like a cross between the late Peter Steele from Type O Negative and Scott Stapp of Creed albeit with a slightly harder edge.

D.S D. This opens up with a cool little bass lick building up to a simple, but effective riff and has my head nodding along in time. The pre-chorus steps it up a bit before the sing along chorus.

Lost Within Time is the first of the slower tracks but has a great groove to it with a really catchy riff, some cool acoustic interludes leading into the heavier riffs to keep it moving along. Finishing off the song is a keyboard and guitar solo.

The title track, Walk Through The Line is another of the slower paced songs. It starts off acoustically and reminds me a little of Queensryche from the Promised Land era before building up nicely. Nice use of harmonics and really heartfelt vocals make this a must listen. It’s also the longest song on the album clocking in at just over six minutes.