By Mike Trujillo
When the Deadbolt Breaks are an experimental, psychedelic, heavy outfit that hails from Connecticut. Their most recent concoction is a four track EP entitled Until It All Collides: The Nightmare Versions, which was released in November of 2020. This is their 7th release, and it was put out by locally owned record label Desert Records. This release features WTDB songs remixed with an "industrial style treatment" by remix master Juno 6. This EP also delivers a cover by the Doors "My Wild Love" from their 1968 release Waiting for the Sun.
The title track "Until it all Collides," the first remix from the 2016 album of the same name, is a 20 minute and 46 second journey of brilliant heavy tones of darkness and depravity. The remix is sonically fueled and is far more guttural and sharper than the original. I feel as if the remix is how they originally intended this song to be. The vocals on the remix are far more devilish, not as gothic or metal as the original. This track requires a little bit of patience (smoke a fat one to maximize the experience). This song paints a beautiful landscape which is unsettling, musically a deep emotional Melvins nightmare vibe. It also gives one the feeling they are in the Bosque, on a cold, dry, grey day, with the witch whispering to you...yea, creepy af!
"Just Before Twilight," a song from 2010's Last Day of the Sun, shapes itself as the original track, with more of a deep, dark slow tempo. It's that feeling you get when you are deep in REM sleep, dreaming evil, and you can't wake yourself up to hit the light switch. I caught these guys at Sister with Big Business and Santa Fe's Dyphotic—they deliver the goods, and you buy what they are selling. They embody the imagery of movies like Gretyl and Hansel, or American Horror Story (specifically, season one).
"Floyds Machine” has got a hypnotic beat. It is a trancey-driven track, and it is eerily reminiscent of another beast: Godflesh! This song is a murderer on the loose! "Floyds Machine” is from the 2018 album, Angels Are Weeping...God Has Abandoned, which is my favorite by the band—a highly recommended release.
Lastly, there is the chancy cover of "My Wild Love.” A testament of a band that has self-confidence, therefore reaching out of their comfort zone to execute a masterful interpretation of the Doors. It carries the same elements as "Floyds Machine,” but this time delivers a dancey groove of a morphine induced post/punk Depeche Mode.
Overall, in my final assessment, this album fucking rules!!! Do yourself the favor and buy it!
Mike Trujillo
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