Dead Original Lights It Up on “Bought and Sold”

Chicago-based new grunge trio Dead Original recently released “Bought and Sold,” the title track from their forthcoming album, slated to drop January 8.

Explaining the song, vocalist/guitarist Paul Wandtke shares, “Lyrically the single ‘Bought and Sold’ is about greed and corruption with the general consensus that it’s really up to you to make a change and difference in this world. You can’t simply wait around for things to get fixed as anyone and everyone has the potential to make a difference. We think fans of rock will enjoy both this single and album; cheers!”

Made up of Paul Wandtke (vocals, guitar), Sean McCole (drums), and Mike Petrasek (bass), Paul formed Dead Original after leaving Orlando’s metal outfit Trivium. The threesome spent the last two years writing, recording, and honing their sound, which merges grunge and the muscle of rock, into a tight, buff sonic blast of oomph, reflecting their belief of “less is more.”

“Bought and Sold” opens on tolling bells, followed by a cool, crunching drum break flowing into grinding, growling guitar riding a thumping rhythm. Tangs of rock and grunge, vaguely reminiscent of Nirvana but slightly less visceral, infuse the melody with thick washes of platinum colors, raw and galvanizing.

Paul’s voice, dark and rife with palpable potency, imbues the lyrics with portentous flavors.

“Waiting for, nothing / And I’ll wait for them to / Change the world / While we wait for them to / Disease the world.”

A stellar breakdown, featuring McCole’s rumbling drums shifts the harmonic flow, adding both rough and smooth textures simultaneously.

When the song ramps back up, it takes on a thrumming wall-of-sound dynamic, simultaneously electrifying and intoxicating. Energizing the song, McCole’s finessed drumming, including the Jovian double-bass flair, establishes the punch, while Petrasek’s clotted bassline enhances the rhythmic impetus.

Dead Original has it going on! Their fusion of rock brawn and bulldozing grunge collides into a burly sound with refined, spinetingling splashes.

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