How Undeath is bringing American Death Metal back to life

Undeath vocalist Alex Jones shares tips on indie music promotion, branding, merchandizing and more. 

A guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix.

When was the last time you heard people talking about death metal? I don’t mean you and your friends hanging around chatting. I’m asking when, if ever, you can recall hearing death metal disgust in the wild? The genre has been around for decades, yet I’m willing to bet you don’t often hear it discussed.

American death metal is in the midst of a revival, unlike anything the genre has seen in decades. Determining why this is happening or how it came to be is anyone’s guess, but there is a new wave of fans and musicians fiercely passionate about music, art, and everything in between. These individuals and groups are ushering in a new era of death metal that is more inclusive, exciting, and fun. It’s serious music that doesn’t always take itself too seriously, and perhaps no group better personifies this idea right now than New York band Undeath.

After bursting onto the international stage with 2020’s Lesions Of A Different Kind, Undeath quickly ascended through the metal underground with propulsive jams that expertly blend ultraviolent lyricism with equally brutal musicianship. The band toured as much as the pandemic allowed but spent most of their time crafting the material that would carry them into the next chapter of their career.

That album, It’s Time…To Rise From The Grave, hits shelves this April with a cacophony of heavy themes and sounds sure to please and disturb in equal measure. It’s a fitting continuation for Undeath and one that leaves plenty of room for the band to explore on future releases.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell chats with Undeath vocalist Alex Jones for the latest edition of our ‘Fast Five’ interview series. Jones speaks about music promotion, artist branding, merchandising, and more as a timer counts down. There’s even some discussion about the state of death metal today. Check it out:

James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.