The Dead Formats

Debut album 'At Sixes And Sevens' out 17th September 2012 via Visible Noise. Get it now on iTunes, Amazon, Play.com (physical), Play.com (digital), HMV. Sign up to the mailing list | Follow on Twitter | Watch on YouTube With a punk attitude and a desire to never be pinned to a single genre, The Dead Formats are an Essex sextet who believe in pushing boundaries both musically and socially. The band released their debut self-titled mini album to critical acclaim - "Compelling listening” (Kerrang) "The Dead Formats may have inadvertently stumbled upon greatness. 8/10” (Rock Sound) for their recorded output, and received rave reviews for their subsequent touring - "Exceptional! 10/10" (Rock Sound). They were also personally selected by the mighty Lostprophets for support on their UK live dates. The band have often been compared to the likes of Gallows and Lostprophets, and perhaps this is more stylistically true than one might think. All three bands have used driving guitar music and great bands from the past as a springboard into their own sound, and all three bands' sounds remain ultimately undefinable. The Dead Formats are undeniably British - in their accents, their style, their attitude and their influences. Their strongest roots lie in 70's punk bands such as The Jam, The Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols but as bass guitarist Jon Poulten says, "It’s not about reliving the past with our music, though at the same time it’s definitely something worth remembering." However, one might be more surprised to hear echoes of Northern Soul and Reggae engrained in the band's music, especially on the new record - references the band have always insisted are key elements to their sound. Not so surprising when you learn the band also run The Dead Formats Soundsystem, aiming to move the minds and the feet of other like-minded youngsters playing everything from Trojan and Tamla to Motown and garage rock in pubs and clubs throughout their native county of Essex. "The greatest thing for me personally would be for our music to help someone, the way that my favourite records helped me" notes Poulten. 'At Sixes and Sevens' is the sound of a band fulfilling their potential as one of the UK's best kept secrets. The title reflects growing up in the midst of recession and political apathy. Poulten continues - "We didn't want to write a record based around the state of the country. But at the same time it becomes hard to ignore when it's having such a marked effect on us and everyone else. The title 'At Sixes and Sevens' and much of the lyrical content of the album reflects a stage where everything seems to be changing and you’re left feeling nothing but jaded and confused. Life isn't the pretty picture your teacher paints at school." With their debut album, The Dead Formats have taken all the elements that made their mini album great - buzzsaw guitars courtesy of Glenn Wizik and Chris Spencer, the double pronged vocal attack from vocalists Darren Ditton and Francis Waller and thundering rhythm section from bassist Jon Poulten and Drummer James May – and taken it to a whole new level, progressing their sound into a fully-fledged beast, eager to be set upon the earholes of the unsuspecting public. Get on board with one off the UK’s brightest hopes now as they lay down their plans for their inevitable world domination. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.