The Dead Love rose from the ashes of local Sydney rockers Ash Phoenix. Well, sort of. They have the same drummer, but I just really wanted to use that line. “She Ate Me Alive” is everything you’d expect from a first single by a polished grunge rock band that treads the fine line between mainstream and alternative. With its slick production, driving beat and catchy as hell chorus the song ticks all the right boxes for mainstream rock radio.

Generally speaking polished grunge bands with mainstream appeal are something any self respecting alternative rock elitist such as myself will steer well clear of. Case in point - Nickleback. Yet somehow The Dead Love just make it work. The band is refreshingly devoid of pretension- just three guys rocking out in the vein of Nirvana or any decent early 90s grunge outfit you can think of. Sure it’s a style that’s been done before, but The Dead Love do it better than most. Personally, I would have liked a bit more rawness and grit in the production, but in all honesty this would probably cost them more fans than it would win over.

Review Score: 7/10