Legendary hardcore punk institution Dropdead will tour Europe next month.
Starting July 2nd in Warsaw, Poland, the tour will encompass 16 dates total, including performances at such festivals as Obscene Extreme, Pitfest, Ieper Hardcore Fest, and Punk Illegal Festival.
July 2 – Warsaw, Poland @ Hydrozagadka
July 3 – Trutnov, Czech Republic @ Obscene Extreme
July 4 – Dresden, Germany @ HD Die Rock & Metalbar
July 5 – Berlin, Germany @ Reset
July 6 – Emmen, Netherlands @ Pitfest
July 7 – Ieper, Belgium @ Ieper Hardcore Fest
July 8 – Karlsruhe, Germany @ Alte Hackerei
July 9 – Braunschweig, Germany @ KufA Haus
July 10 – Flensberg, Germany @ Retro Music Hall
July 11 – Oslo, Norway @ Vaterland Bar & Scene
July 12 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Hus 7
July 13 – Värnamo, Sweden @ Punk Illegal Festival
July 14 – Hamburg, Germany @ Monkeys Music Club
July 15 – Drachten, Netherlands @ Iduna
July 16 – Oberhausen, Germany @ Kulttempel
July 17 – Osnabrück, Germany @ Bastard Club
July 18 – Nijmegen, Netherlands @ De Onderbroek
July 19 – Turin, Italy @ TBA
July 20 – Bologna, Italy @ Freakout Club
July 21 – Düdingen, Czech Republic @ Bad Bonn
Dropdead released their long-awaited third album, once again self-titled Dropdead, in 2020 via Armageddon Label.
Later that same year, the entirety of the Dropdead back catalog saw reissues, all through Armageddon Label: the self-titled debut album from 1993, remastered by Brad Boatright; the self-titled second from 1998, remixed by Kurt Ballou and mastered by Brad Boatright; Discography Vol 1 1992-1993 and Discography Vol 2 1995-2013, both remixed by Kurt Ballou; and the Demos 1991 LP, restored by Kurt Ballou.
Dropdead officially formed in January 1991 in Providence, Rhode Island, but the original four-person lineup met in December 1989.
They played music together for a year before a lineup change saw Bob and Ben switch instruments, a name change, and a great increase in speed and intensity. The idea was to play pissed-off, aggressive, no-bullshit hardcore-punk thrash with personally political lyrics. Musically, the influences drew from bands as diverse as Confuse, Siege, Larm, Crass, Swans, Infest, SSD, Pandemonium, Icons of Filth, Gauze, Septic Death, Discharge, Anti-Cimex etc.
The first Dropdead show happened in April 1991 with Born Against and Rorschach.
The band started with – and continues to embrace – a strong “Do It Yourself” work ethic, booking their own shows and releasing their own records via Armageddon Label. Over the years, Dropdead has played hundreds of shows and fests, recorded two LPs, some splits and EPs, and toured the USA and Europe numerous times, as well as Australia and Japan. 2020 will be 29 years for Dropdead as a band, and 30 years with the founding trio of vocalist Bob, drummer Brian, and guitarist Ben playing music together.
In late 2019, Dropdead completed work on the audio part their third album, recorded by Kurt Ballou and Zach Weeks at God City and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
Musically, the third Dropdead album is a bit different from previous recordings, style-wise and vocally, with the latter being delivered so the words have an impact more so than just raw screaming.
With 23 songs in 24 minutes, the songs themselves vary much more in tempo and style, but ultimately, it’s a Dropdead record that makes sense in 2020. Lyrically, this record is relevant to the times we live in, focused on the alarming state of the world, the disturbing rise of right-wing extremism, animal abuse, and the continued social failures of humankind. “These are dark times we find ourselves living in,” says the band, “and this is how we vent our frustration and anger in a positive way.”
