Websites:
Official Site
Dead Rabbits @ MySpace
The Inside Pulse:
DEAD RABBITS started off in 2000 when vocalist/guitarist Mike Maney (of STIGMATA fame) started a solo studio project. Recently having an opportunity to bring his project to fruition, Maney called on his friend and STIGMATA bandmate Jason Sunkes for guitar and vocal work. Rounding out the line-up with drummer Daniel Dinsmore and bassist Brendan Slater (ex-THE CLAY PEOPLE), the DEAD RABBITS hit the studio and local scene in upstate New York. (Gratuitous plug time, check out this interview I did with Mike Maney’s former STIGMATA bandmate and current SHADOWS FALL skinsman Jason Bittner back in November 2005). Channeling their vision far away from the underground hardcore scene that constituted their metal roots, the RABBITS have opted for a niche deep-south rock and metal amalgam that’s very palatable.
Positives:
The songs are written well, the riffs are powerful, and the solos are appropriate. The slow grinding and crunching sounds make for a nice change of pace in the metal world. An effort is made to keep an old-school feel without just rehashing the old-school favorites. Even with the niche they’ve crawled into, there is a spread of diversity that keeps each track fresh in its own way. Sin-eater teems with grinding metal power and still offers up something for the stoners and doomers to move their heads to.
Negatives:
Cover songs are a great thing. They showcase influences and artistry. They also need to be used sparingly. The RABBITS have gone a bit overboard. The covers are done really well but I would rather see a solid debut album of their own material without fun and games detracting from their message. Not to mention the thirteen minutes of silence that I have yet to comprehend. The singing is good but after a while the vocal processing gets to be a bit much. The whole album sounds muffled and muted. Mastering problems? More clarity and enunciation would really emphasize the talent buried within.
Cross Breed:
Black Sabbath, Life of Agony, Black Label Society, Corrosion of Conformity, Type O Negative, Mighty Nimbus, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rage Against the Machine, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet and Monster Magnet.
Reason to Buy:
Fans of old blues, metal and classic rock will get their three course meal. And if you finish your vegetables, you may get a lucky rabbits’ foot.
