DEAD CHANNELS - Soul Pollution

So, lets say you're a professor, right? You get a paper from a student you're totally neutral about. They spoke a few times, each time with something somewhat intelligent, but they've missed a few classes and their assignments were neither here nor there. Totally indifferent.

It's the end of the year and the final paper's in. Let's also forget that there's such a thing as plagiarism and all its legal implications. It's a non-issue here. So, you're going through it, and so far so good. Actually, really good. It's most definitely in the high-B, low-A range. Then, you come by a really good statement that sounds a little too good. You look deeper into it. It's a rip-off of one of the greater specialists of this topic from the past two decades. However, can one ignore it, go past it, see what the rest of the paper has, or at this point do we completely neglect that this is a fine project simply because of the fact that there was an moment of plagiarized thought we can't ignore?

This is the standstill I'm in regarding the Dead Channel's LP, Soul Pollution, and the problematic song, "Conversion Syndrom" and how it sounds eerily similar to Botch's "Transition from Persona to Object." Of course, it doesn't sound exactly like it, the pitch is lower and the picking pattern is slightly different, but in terms of pace, style and construction, it's impossible not to notice. I mean, perhaps they didn't realize, but I find that HIGHLY doubtful. There's no way they’ve never heard Botch's We Are the Romans. I can't imagine that. It was a staple in our curriculum. However, the rest of this piece is very, very strong, rendering that slight slip up mute, with every listen slowly revealing slight differences (I won't be convinced, however, that it doesn't sound exactly like Botch’s song) that allow me to blow past it and just begin to enjoy the record for what it is; fun, confrontational, smart, well-crafted and, again, fun.
Every track suggests drinking music for those of us who rarely drink and when
we do, know that shit is still fucked up. Soul Pollution is similar to Down in that sense.

It creates an atmosphere of rock’n’roll, blues-heavy riffs, with lyrics that don't allow the listener to get too lost in the music's deceptive allure of enjoyment. On Soul Pollution, we're constantly propelled into carelessness and fun, for 8 or 16 bars of pure head-banging induced convulsions, only to be brought back when the dude starts talking about heroin, lost love and all that good shit that makes life worth living.
Speaking of which, the vocals are fantastic. Angelo has a clear talent for not only evoking emotion and ideas via their lyrics, but also through delivery, pitch and pacing. When he perfectly screams “Editor, editor” on the album’s standout track, “Mobile Homes,” I can’t help but scream along with him. The swing to it, the aggression, it is perfectly rock.

So ya, the album has a bit of a glaring blemish. As I've mentioned, it begins to subside after every listen and sooner than later, it becomes a totally enjoyable. Who knows, maybe I'm the only who hears its similarity. But with all that aside, this album is very good. Well paced, well sung and well played. There's really not much else you can ask for, eh? [Innerstrengt]
- Dru Morrison