Reviewed November 11, 2000
One of my favorite CDs for listening to at full volume is the Deadlights' self-titled debut. It has a few samples interspersed with heavy guitars and bass; the band lies somewhere between Smashing Pumpkins and old Deftones.

The Deadlights take the climactic approach to their songs rather than the full frontal assault of the Deftones. Add in vocalist Duke that can sound much like either Chino Moreno screaming or Billy Corgan sweetly singing, and you have a recipe for some incredibly catchy tunes.

Duke's voice may lull you into a happy mood on songs like "Sweet Oblivion" and "Foolish Pride," but make no mistake, the entire album is full of dark lyrics. The topics are typical of the genre - death, destruction, bad relationships - but it's been awhile since I've heard lyrics so poetically drafted.

I like the Deadlights best for playing loud. Favorites come to mind for this, such as "Pox Eclipse", "Junk", and "Distant Sun." The first two have great climaxes, while the vocal and guitar mixing on "Distant Sun" blow my mind.

Few weak spots exist in the Deadlights' solid self-titled album, and it gets 4.5 of 5 stars.