Dealer // Soul Burn
Dealer’s debut EP ‘Soul Burn’ is the most exciting release I’ve heard from a new band in 2019. There’s a huge possibility they’ll be my breakout band of the year.
Although it’s their first release, the individual members have a ton of experience. The band consists of Alpha Wolf’s former vocalist, Northlane’s former bassist, Capture The Crown’s former drummer, and the guitarists of Iconoclast and Codeine King.
Dealer was created when vocalist Aiden Ellaz was kicked out of Alpha Wolf for sexual assault allegations and although it seems like he willingly left at the time, he’s clearly upset about being forced out. “Grotesque” (my favorite track) and “Pretty Stupid” are aimed directly at his former band mates and reach a new level of rage.
There hasn’t been much drama between bands lately, and although I’m not calling for a return to the era of Frankie Palmeri vs. Vincent Bennett or Austin Carlile vs. Jerry Roush, those battles typically result in good music. After all, what inspires better material for you to scream about than your hatred for someone who has wronged you?
The real highlight of this ordeal is that Dealer and Alpha Wolf are both making better music than when Alpha Wolf had Aiden in the band. I still have to listen to Alpha Wolf’s EP (which they just released) to declare a winner, but my initial feeling is that Dealer will come out on top, at least in terms of quality. The impressive depth of their roster gives their music a dimension that I haven’t seen in Alpha Wolf’s newer material. However, Alpha Wolf will likely win in terms of popularity because they’re now signed to Sharptone and have been around longer.
On their heaviest songs, Dealer reminds me of a faster paced, more aggressive version of Sworn In’s first album. Way more obscure than that, it’s actually extremely similar to what Darke Complex sounded like when they started off. Aiden has a great range, multiple screaming styles, and his dry delivery fits the instruments well.
On the other side of the spectrum, “You In Frame” sounds like something The Plot In You would have done on ‘Happiness In Self Destruction’. The cleans are impressive and show the versatility of Dealer’s songwriting while still matching the EP’s overall style. This could very well be the main point of differentiation between Dealer and Alpha Wolf and I’m inclined to think Dealer’s more diverse sound will eventually win out.
I don’t want to say I support the drama, but if it results in songs like these then I’m all for it. The future is bright for both bands and the constant battle to outdue each other will surely give us great music.
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