Top Dead Celebrity
High Horse
Self-Released
Street: 03.06
Top Dead Celebrity = Red Fang + Mark Lanegan + Neurosis

This album is Top Dead Celebrity’s sonic curveball. When you expect heavy riffage, they give you quiet ambience. When you expect ferocious beats and heavy screaming, they throw melody and bluesy introspection. It’s all fitting and indicative of a band that has matured and grown into their skin since their self-titled release in 2009. The dual-guitar attack of Jeff Anderson and Andy Patterson (SubRosa) is tight, full of fury and has over-the-top layering of full-on, blistering riff mastery. Tie that to the super-tight, super-on-point rhythm section of Jeff Johnson and Jesse Mills, and you have a recipe for one of the heaviest albums Salt Lake City will put out this year. Also, instead of full tilt and balls to the wall, it seems that TDC have figured out how to restrain the fury and bring quiet strength—dynamic aspects that serve the songs well. Check this album out. –Jeremy Cardenas