In the conversation of the formative early 2000's of American metal, it would ignorant to omit New York cult favorites, Dry Kill Logic.
From the band's mid-90's formation and their skyrocketing trajectory into the era of Y2K, the band's was held in high regard for their progressive approach to heavy music. Asserting a real reverence for for the great that paved the way, Dry Kill Logic seemed intent on moving the culture and the sound forward, honoring their influences while crafting a sound that left it's own indelible mark.
While the band's 2001 studio full length debut, The Darker Side of Nonsense served well in exposing the band to a broader, receptive audience hungry for heavy music's nu, emerging edge, it only scratched the surface in terms of unlocking the creative breadth of the collective.
Asserting real industry acumen even early in their career, Dry Kill Logic flexed the same forward-thinking in the business aspect of the game. Doubling down on themselves and forging ahead as indie artists, despite having already flirted with the co-sign major label, the band elected to make their own way as creatives - piecing together a progressive deal that afforded autonomy as artists.
The end result was their most celebrated work to date - an album that some two decades later, remains a definitive entry from the era. On The Dead and Dreaming, Dry Kill Logic took a bold step away from nu-metal's proliferation and found themselves ahead of the American metalcore movement.
Widely regarded as an album before it's time, the sophomore full length remains a testament to the creative fortitude at the core of Dry Kill Logic and speaks to the health of heavy music at the time - nurturing the kind of progressive power that has the sustainability to matter a generation later.
It's that same chemistry that has bonded the band even after all these years. Despite being dormant since the mid-2000's following the release of the band's third album Of Vengeance and Violence in 2006, the nucleus of Dry Kill Logic has remained in tact.
Given the band's continued connection, it seemed only a matter a time before circumstance would afford the opportunity to reconvene.
Set to mark the 20th anniversary of The Dead and Dreaming, Dry Kill Logic is set to make their return to the stage for rhe first time in nearly two decades this month at Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, FL. The performance will celebrate the songs that have endured for a generation and serves a powerful reminder of how artistic integrity is vital for longevity.
Adding to the excitement of the band's live reunion, Dry kill Logic are also beginning a new chapter, releasing "Now You Belong With The Dead." The track is the first new release of material in more than five years and amounts to the musical equivalent of the old adage of a boxer never loses their punch.
Reflecting on the significance of The Dead and Dreaming, the live reunion that was only inevitable and the beginning of a new era all happening in real time, frontman Cliff RIgano framed the current headspace of the band.
What felt right about the climate for a revival of Dry Kill Logic? Rigano - I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. The universe signaled it was time, and the call was impossible to ignore.
The band seemed to regain some steam back in 2019, with the release of “Vices”. The following year, “Don’t See Ghosts” landed and the trajectory seemed upward. Was this reboot of DKL already building back then?
We’ve always been very close friends and have the most fun writing music together. In 2016, we regrouped after a decade away from the band and those sessions produced the latest three singles, which we were really happy with. I can’t say we had bigger plans than releasing those songs at that time, but then COVID happened and we all took a moment to figure out life.
How did the idea to celebrate ’The Dead and Dreaming’ come to fruition? Was it on your radar already or did you get approached to do it?
We couldn’t believe it had been 20 years since it was released, and mused over the idea of playing those songs again, When we received the offer for Rockville, it made sense to look at it as a celebration vs. an anniversary - we didn’t want to only play those songs, but we felt like that record deserved a moment of its own. We’re very proud of the songs on that album and the time spent touring behind it, and it’s exciting to revisit them after all this time.
Without a warm-up show, DKL is going into one of their biggest shows in their career and you are doing it after a layoff of two decades from the stage. What’s the thinking in diving right in without a tune-up show?
Clearly, there is no thinking (laughs). I’m not sure there’s a right or wrong way to do it. We could play 100 warm up shows and still shit the bed, so it’s important to control what we can with focus, rehearsals and training.
“Now You Belong with the Dead” has the distinction of being both contemporary and still showcasing that signature DKL sound that defined the 2000’s. Was there a concerted effort to sound like DKL or was the final result much more organic?
Our writing process is organic, in that we all have different influences which come through in how we write individually. We have always tried to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone when writing but, with that said, we stand in service of the song. As long as we are happy with the track, that’s the deciding factor for us, but the audience will have the final say in whether we hit the mark.
For a long time the term nu-metal seemed to have a negative connotation. Now however, the consensus is that it is back both with the music and the aesthetic. What about the era do you think has sustained all this time and is now connecting with the new, younger fan finding this on TikTok?
There is an honesty in nu-metal, whether it be in the lyrics, the music or the aesthetic. It allows you to be who you want to be, and in today’s world of pretense and posturing that unencumbered expression of self is aspirational.
Nostalgia is one thing but finding something new to say after all this time can be a tall task. What has motivated you as a songwriter to take up the shield again?
The world is a wild place, and we all have experiences that leave impressions. Fortunately, I find a sense of release in being able to write about them, which has given me a fresh perspective when it comes to songwriting. Like Mark Twain said, ‘Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.’
In recent years bands like Mudvayne, Kittie and Static-X are getting their flowers. At the same time, bands like Tallah, Cane Hill and Loathe are pushing the culture forward while embracing that nu-metal ethos. Where does DKL factor in? Do you like the idea of being a legacy band or is the focus more on being contemporaries?
We were incredibly inspired seeing the response to legacy bands in the genre over the last few years - Mudvayne, Kittie, Static X and Coal Chamber to name a few - but also seeing the impact of the genre on new bands to the scene was equally impactful. We are comfortable in our own skin, and find ourselves inspired by todays’ heavy artists. There’s so many sick bands out there, we are humbled to even be in the conversation.
Have you played out the scenario in your head - those moments right before downbeat, stepping out on stage at Rockville for the first time in almost a generation? What’s the feeling like in the DKL camp right now as the band gears up for such a big return?
The whole thing is surreal, especially the moment you just described We are filled with the best kind of nervous energy, and hope to deliver a show the audience will appreciate and, more importantly, enjoy.
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Catch Dry Kill Logic later this month at Welcome to Rockville. The band have also announced a pair of headlining dates celrbating The Dead and Dreaming, along with additional festival dates at Rockfest, Inkcarceration and Aftrshock later this fall. See the list of dates below.
DRY KILL LOGIC LIVE
5/18 — Welcome to Rockville — Daytona, FL
6/13 — Monarch — Brooklyn, NY
6/14 — Dingbatz — Clifton, NJ
7/17 — RockFest — Cadott, WI
7/19 — Inkcarceration — Mansfield, OH
10/2 — Aftershock — Sacramento, CA
