The debut album by American band Ded, Mis-an-thrope openly embraces its early 2000s nu metal heritage. Downtuned riffs, vocals alternating between spat rap and chanted choruses, and a modern, glossy production: the recipe is familiar, claimed as such rather than reinvented.
The band shines when it tightens its tempos and lets a frontal rage explode, especially on the singles built for the stage. The writing, however, stays uneven, sometimes too reliant on formulas already heard from its elders. Honest and effective live, Mis-an-thrope proves a solid but predictable debut that promises more than it upends, and points to a band still searching for its own voice within a well worn tradition.
