Mendeed
The Dead Live By Love

August 2007
Released: 2007, Nuclear Blast Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

OK, let’s face it. Scotland isn’t exactly known for its metal bands. Beer, Braveheart, and kilts sure, but not metal bands. Well, if the sophomore effort from Mendeed has the impact that it should, perhaps we’ll see more bands from Scotland! See, THE DEAD LIVE BY LOVE is Mendeed’s second release (first for heavyweights Nuclear Blast Records), and the band are getting a ton of press over it. Are they worthy?

Although the band’s bio classifies them as metalcore, I’m happy to report that is not the case. Aside from the mixture of clean and growled vocals, there’s nothing remotely metalcore about them! Hell, dual vocals hardly mean a band is metalcore. No, right off the bat with the raging “Burning Fear”, it’s clear that Mendeed are HUGE fans of Children of Bodom and have much more in common with modern melodic death metal (Soilwork etc.) than metalcore. Seriously, if you listen to Dave Proctor’s growled vocals, you’ll swear its Alexi Laiho screaming at you. Even his phrasings are similar to the Wild Child. The similarities in the music are uncanny as well, perhaps with a bit more power metal leaning than COB.

Whatever the case, Mendeed have taken their influences and created one hell of an entertaining album, as THE DEAD LIVE BY LOVE is probably one of the catchiest albums I’ve heard in 2007. I mean, the chorus of the title track is STILL stuck in my head, and I’ve been listening to this album for weeks now. Sure, the band still has some growing to do and really develop their own style, but what they’ve created here is damn good. To hell with metalcore references, Mendeed are METAL, pure and simple. Highly recommended.