Dead City Ruins are one of this country’s most recognizable names on the touring circuit.
Their blending of old school rock with blues and hard rock has seen the band win over new fans every time they step out on stage, with their 2018 album Never Say Die finally seeing them receive the critical and mainstream success they so richly deserve.
Now the band are back, armed with a new album and new vocalist. Their swagger is still there – only magnified – and their love of good, old fashioned rock seeps through every strand of new album Shockwave’s DNA leading up to a September 16 release.
HEAVY caught up with new vocalist Steve Welsh to go through the album and more.
"One of the primary things we were thinking about - as I'm sure many bands do - is the boys have had a lot of live experience,” Welsh started, “and one of the biggest things we wanted to bring were songs that would work well live, but we also wanted to experiment with some new sounds as well. Obviously with myself coming on board I have some different musical influences, so the album is a combination of live bangers - or at least in our eyes live bangers - and some new sounds that could help shape the future of the music with the band."
When pushed on what those new sounds are Welsh dutifully obliged.
"In terms of influences I've got a lot of 80s and 90s influences,” he explained. “A lot of 80s Judas Priest and a lot of 90s grunge with Soundgarden and Alice In Chains, things like that, that I personally use to help me write music. It was a joint effort between all of us to bring that to life. I suppose influence wise there's a bit more of that era that has been brought into this album."
In the full interview, Steve talks more about Shockwave, the singles released and how they relate to the album, settling in to the role of frontman, their recent show supporting KISS, how Shockwave differs from previous album Never Say Die, future plans and more.
Intro track HELLZ ABYSS 'Salute'