Best Album by a New Group

It’s rare that a new group comes out of the gate with their signature sound already dialed in, but the debut on Brutal Panda from power-trio Dead Now showcases a vision so distinct and developed that one wonders how long they sweated away in anonymity, honing their craft in some basement. While similar in some respects to singer/guitarist Andrew Elstner’s former group, Torche, Elstner and Co. have discarded anything nonessential to their new direction. The album cruises through a litany of huge riffs and catchy vocal melodies accompanied by Sabbath-y licks and nods to the spacey repetition of krautrock. With their melodic, hypnotic blend of heavy rock, Dead Now claims their sonic own territory. less...