Sunflower Dead: 'C O M A' Album Review
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Sunflower Dead – “C O M A” Review
Release Date: October 19, 2018
Sunflower Dead is back; they are back with a revised line up and they are back with a vengeance with the release of their third album titled "C O M A".
Long Beach, California’s very own Sunflower Dead, upon replacing their rhythm section after touring extensively in support of their last album, find themselves switching record labels as well in support of their third album release. Sunflower Dead has moved up in the ranks from independent Bloody Bat Records to EMP Label Group also known as Ellefson Music Production whose founder is none other than David Ellefson, bass player for metal mega group Megadeth; and usher in the release of their third album "C O M A" which was released on October 19, 2018.
"C O M A" is a very strong album and what I noticed immediately, aside from the production quality and songwriting improvements is how differently lead vocalist Michael Del Pizzo has approached this album vocally. Del Pizzo seems to run the gamut with vocal stylings, almost as if experimenting, although I am not sure if that was his approach or mindset, yet it seems to have worked perfectly. The songs on "C O M A" find Del Pizzo singing very guttural, almost growling, to singing breathy and airy, to his signature straight forward singing voice, which in my opinion is like no other singer. When I hear a Sunflower Dead song I know who it is immediately by Del Pizzo’s voice alone.
The "C O M A" tracklist is rawer and back to the basics of in-the-pocket, groove-oriented Metal as compared to their last two albums almost as if the basic rhythm bed tracks were laid down and recorded live as opposed to being recorded individually and then pieced together as the majority of songs are recorded these days, which lends to a much simpler and natural overall sound.
"C O M A" has had one single release since its release back in October 2018, the first release along with accompanying video was Victim which peaked at #34 on Billboards Mainstream Rock Chart. Victim is just one of the songs that find Del Pizzo singing in all of his vocal stylings which really helps to bring this song to life. There is not one single weak track or moment on this entire album.
Track List:
1. Let Me In
2. Victim
3. The Biggest Mistake
4. Through The Fire
5. Savior
6. Kept Down
7. Torn In Two
8. Counting All My Failures
9. Turn Away
All nine tracks are strong, heavy, and full of raw emotion. Turn Away, the closing track, is a departure from the rest of the album, a very heavy, eerie, power ballad that certainly deserves a video and heavy airplay. I can hear this song topping the charts and turning Sunflower Dead into a household name.
If you are a fan of Metal and Hard Rock then this is the album for you. "C O M A" is an angry album but it is a very true album one in which there seems to be no compromising for the sake of charting hits. Check it out and join the Evil Seeds community of Sunflower Dead fans, I am proud to be one of many.
Horns Up ~JT
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About John Tedeski
JournalistI’ve been a musician since the age of 7 when my parents bought me my first drum set. By the age of 16, I was playing the local bar scene. I’ve played around the east coast, and in 1994, through those travels is how I met Founding member of Center Stage Magazine, Tommy Lemon as we were both auditioning for the same band in the Boston Massachusetts area and we’ve been friends ever since. Through the years I’ve met a lot of great musicians such as Vinny Paul (Pantera), Bill Leverty (Firehouse), Ace Frehley (KISS), Marc Ferrari (Keel), Bobby Dall (Poison), and even got to share the stage with Jaime St. James (Black ‘N Blue) and Billy Morris (Warrant), just to name a few. Unfortunately, life had a different path in store for me other than being a full-time musician, yet I’ve been blessed to still be able to play on the weekends with some great local talent. Here I am now with another huge blessing, still within the music world, but this time as a journalist for Center Stage Magazine where I get to talk with and interview musicians who do what I have always longed to do. It’s all good and much less hassle than having to lug my drums all around the country. Rock Out, Roll On & Follow Your Heart ...
