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These Voices 3:510:00/3:51
Although the name "Dead Superstar" appears to portend doom and gloom, this would be a misinterpretation of the name's origin, which is a reference to the awe-inducing phenomenon known as a supernova. Dead Superstar (DS), founded in 2005 by vocalist Terence Keith, bassist Troi Mosby & guitarist Chad Willems, is a heavy groove rock band that seamlessly melds the raw energy of metal with the radio-ready hooks of classic rock. While their sexually and politically charged lyrics, hard-driving narratives confront listeners with the realities of life Their infectious, heavy beats paired with the brutal energy of their live shows mesmerizes audiences.
While their sound has evolved over time, the linchpin of the band's mercurial music remains its provocative nature. Terence confesses that DS draws from a diverse array of musical influences (e.g., Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, The Doors, Rollins Band, & James Brown), many of which are apparent on their 2011 debut titled Tribulations. Produced by heavy-hitters Joey Z. (Life of Agony) & Corey Lowery (Stuck Mojo, Eye Empire & Seether), the late addition of drummer Jared Feldman & guitarist Evan Pomeraz rounded out the recording lineup. The album, including songs like "Find A Way" (inspired by the horrors of the 911 attacks) and "Catch The Fire" (concerning society's deceptive nature), serves as an eye-opening call to action.
As the band began touring in support of Tribulations, Chad's unexpected departure, along with the later exit of Evan (replaced by Todd Bowes), threw the band for a loop. Nonetheless, the reconfigured lineup continued to tour relentlessly, scoring shows with several large national acts (e.g., Sebastion Bach, Sevendust, Trapt, etc.). With the additional exposure, DS won over throngs of new fans across the U.S. anxious to hear new material. Unfortunately, the momentum was halted with the departure of Jared & Todd. This setback marked a pivotal phase in the band's history and challenged the resolve of Terence & Troi. In the meantime, though Dead Superstar's sound continued to evolve, the arrival of Jimmy Wooten (drums) breathed new life into the band (later replaced by PJ Motive). With the addition of Matt Nedyle (guitar) & Mike Oh (guitar), the band began writing their EP Beyond Sight with producer Jarod Mankin (former bassist of Bobaflex) and returned to the road. However, tragedy struck with the death of Mike and the resignation of PJ. Though things were looking grim for a period of time, new members Johan De Swart (drums) and Clay Zoller (guitar) injected fresh energy back into the project, clearing the path for the road warriors to continue.
However, in yet another unexpected twist of fate, after years of touring, both Johan and Clay stepped down just as Beyond Sight was being mixed. For the band, the loss of its members was especially heartbreaking as they recently began working with Grammy Award-nominated producer Johnny K. ( producer of Disturbed, Megadeth, 3 Doors Down, Drowning Pool, Staind, etc.), who took the sound of DS up to a whole new level.
With the difficulties and sacrifices of tour life apparently overwhelming for most of the band's newcomers, the project inevitably went on hiatus, and Troi decided to pursue other ventures in life. Still, however, Terence ultimately decided to stick with the project. His determination and drive, along with the addition of Michael Bohm (guitar), Charlie O'Neil (bass), and the return of Chad Willems (guitar) and Craig Matalon (drummer of Terence's former band, Perseverance) cemented the band's fate. With this reconfigured lineup, they recorded the single "On The Ledge" that promoted the release of their new album titled I Did It For the Rock Gods.
While Craig and Chad needed to back away as the demands of touring increased, Terence recruited Justin Goldat (guitar) and Brian Duke (drums), leading to the current lineup. As invitations to national tours (e.g., Alesana, Mushroomhead, Kings X, Drowning Pool, Pop Evil, BuckCherry, etc.) piled up, so did inspirational magazine write-ups, greater name recognition, and an increased demand for interviews. Despite the brutality of tour life, these signs gave Terence the hope and energy necessary to continue moving forward.
As Mind Noise Network magazine writes:
On The Ledge' delves into themes of abandonment and self-preservation; vocalist Terence Keith stated, [it was] 'written to remind yourselves in life you need space to breathe. Life is too short for self-abuse. You're not alone—carry on!' Musically, 'On The Ledge' has a guitar-driven sound with plenty of melody and the vocals [and] sound[s] like a love child between Michael Poulsen (Volbeat) and Layne Staley (Alice in Chains). It's their first single from their upcoming second album, I Did It For The Rock Gods, due out on April 18th. If the
Needless to say, Dead Superstar refuses to allow any obstacles to thwart their journey forward, and will continue creating their art and sharing their message with the world for a long time to come!