D-A-D

"Speed of Darkness" (AFM Records; 2024)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

I've always had a problem with this band's  name. D-A-D. Dad? That bugged me. This is a me problem, not their problem but it's made me perhaps not pay them the attention they deserve. For this, I apologize. (Recently, I discovered that D-A-D stood for Disneyland After Dark, and that the band had to change their name because The Evil Empire threatened to sue them. Don't know if that's true, that's just what I read).

Anyway, I've listened to many of this band's albums, especially "No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims," a cassette I wore out in the early 90s. And today, now that confession time is over, I'm glad to finally give this band the review they deserve with their latest album, "Speed of Darkness."

"Speed of Darkness" is a shiny, thick slab of rock'n'roll. With fourteen tracks and nearly an hour of listening time, you certainly get your money's worth here. The Danish band's music is a searing kind of classic rock, with crunching guitars, strong but clear vocals, a rhythm section that keeps things moving along at a typical rock pace, and lyrics that are surprisingly intelligent and varied. If I had to pick a band that D-A-D sounds closest to, I think it would be Blue Oyster Cult, especially on tracks like "The Ghost." It's that kind of solid rock'n'roll that you used to hear on the radio, but not so much these days, especially in the nearly-barren Southern California rock radio world.

Most of the tracks are mid-tempo solid rockers, delivering heavy-ish guitar, smooth vocals and melodies that have you singing along almost immediately. A few of the tracks slow down considerably, including "Head Over Heels" and the classy closer, "I'm Still Here." My favorite tracks were the heavier ones, especially "Strange Terrain," "Automatic Survival" and "Waiting Is the Way." Also worth mentioning are the thought-provoking lyrics of "God Prays to Man" the bluesy simmering of "Keep That MF Down" and the desert atmosphere of the aforementioned "The Ghost."

There's a reason that bands like D-A-D have survived throughout the decades and it's the music. Here, in 2024, they prove that once again.

For more information, check out https://d-a-d.com/.  

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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