The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Critical rock theory
Theory of a Deadman working to prove genre is alive and well
Two decades into the Theory of a Deadman’s career, the platinum-selling hard-rock act continues to subvert expectations and change perceptions with every album.¶ “We had been making rock music for so long, you just grow as a human being and you like different things,” said Theory of a Deadman drummer Joey Dandeneau, calling from Gary, Indiana. ¶ “That kind of happened for us. We really just felt like we were branching out and wanted to experience a new style of writing and a new style of recording and take our abilities to a different place mentally.”
That was decidedly the case with 2017’s more poprock-focused “Wake Up Call” and its darker 2020 follow-up, “Say Nothing.”
After the group’s tour supporting the latter was cut short due to the pandemic, the outfit regrouped and refocused.
The result is the British Columbia band’s new effort, “Dinosaur,” which is due to be released March 17.
“We basically listened to our fans,” Dandeneau said. “As much as we loved making those last two records, we were missing what felt like a part of us. We’ve always been a rock band. We love writing rock tunes, recording them and playing them live.
“Our fans like that. That’s how our fans started with us. We can’t deny that that’s there. It feels right for us. That’s where we
“If it was dead, then why am I on tour right now with Skillet doing massive rooms — some of them going into arenas?” — Joey Dandeneau, Theory of a Deadman drummer, on the state of rock
went with ‘Dinosaur.’ It’s a nice little mix of where we’ve been and where we’re going.”
There’s no denying the new album’s title track, already released as a single, found the group returning to its grungy hard-rock roots.
The same can be said for the second single, “Ambulance.”
However, it’s the band’s current single, “Two of Us (Stuck),” that’s turning heads. Theory of a Deadman has mashed up the Grover Washington/Bill
Withers classic “Just the Two of Us” into a break-up anthem.
“It’s an interesting concept, being a rendition of a different song in the past that’s recognizable,” Dandeneau said.
“It’s a world that none of us have ever experienced before, so we felt like that song was a perfect lyrical story and message for everybody to kind of connect with and go, ‘Yep, that happened to me.’”
A quick look at Theory of a Deadman’s resume includes plenty of rock radio
hits — “All or Nothing,” “Bitch Came Back,” “Lowlife,” “Angel,” “Hate My Life,” “Not Meant to Be,” “Bad Girlfriend” and “RX (Medicate).”
That said, Theory of a Deadman — which plays March 3 at the Agora Theatre in Cleveland — continues to thrive during a time when some consider rock to be dead.
Naturally, Dandeneau doesn’t buy it.
“It’s not dead — it’s just changed,” Dandeneau said. “If it was dead, then why am I on tour right now
with Skillet doing massive rooms — some of them going into arenas? Why are Five Finger Death Punch, Breaking Benjamin, Godsmack and Alice in Chains doing great if rock is dead?
“Now, the term ‘rock star’ — is that still the same? That’s changed, sure. Now it’s like country star, pop star. Those are the celebrities now, so maybe rock has gone into more of an underground vibe, but it’s certainly not dead. That doesn’t make sense. Rock’s just kind of changed its perception.”