This is a band that has synergy, so many elements subtly working together; this is very, very good
The Basque country, that wonderfully proud region that sits between southern France and northern Spain, has long had a reputation for being different. Outsiders tend to see its inhabitants as being either French or Spanish and nothing else, whereas they see themselves as something removed from the norm, something different.
Hailing from the southwestern French town of Hossegor, The Dead Krazukies are a band often described as being a skate punk outfit – a lazy catch-all that doesn’t really cover the variety in their music – and with the release of their fourth album, ‘CIPHER’, prove this perfectly.
‘CIPHER’ opens with ‘Before the Storm’; fast, angry, and powerful. A rapid but subdued guitar leads us in, but it’s the drums that seem to draw the rest of the band towards them, forging a channel that is soon filled with depth. The vocalist has a lighter voice that manages to add more potency to the song, while backing vocals add power, alongside some very impressive fret work in the guitar solo. It’s a song that makes you curious, draws you in, implores you to listen to more. It does what any opening tune on an album should, it whets the appetite.
Next up, the first single release from the album ‘1997’, a paean to youth and all things past.
Lyrically this one hits a spot; we all have a period in time where everything seems to fit – friends, music, lifestyle and ambition. The possibilities are endless; you’re only restricted by the boundaries of others. There’s a harder feel to the music, and a rawness to the bass underpinning its structure. It’s a song where the lyrics and music totally match the subject. Irrespective of who/where/what you are you’ll find something that will spark a memory in this song. Again, the guitar break shows some impressive musical prowess. A song worthy of repeat listening.
‘Red Letter’ starts with an Iron Maiden-esque guitar riff, then drops down to allow the bass to take over. This is a song of contrasts; power and delicacy, anger and remorse. The changes in pace and tone help to convey the rather sad lyrics. It also shows depth in ability, in both its structure and its delivery. There’s a slower break that adds further depth to the lyric, another texture. This is a band that knows how to match musical and emotional feeling, something that is deceptively hard to achieve, and make this number work.
Another high energy opening starts ‘Far and Beyond’, before we roll along in a slightly upbeat manner. There is a magnificent yet subtle rawness in the vocal delivery that lifts the core of this one. Gentle harmonies and depth, but it’s the varied tempos across the song that make it a whole. The changes don’t feel forced, don’t feel imposed, they add a texture that supports the lyrical structure. A song that shows how every aspect of a band, every input, changes the feeling of the finished tune.
‘Neuralyzer’ once again shows how the components of the band combine, how much of a unit they are; no element is bigger than the song. There is a smoothness to this song, a steadiness with each member of the band showcasing their abilities without being brash. A slow builder of a song that carries you through it.
There’s a harder edge to ‘Blackwall’, melodic but with a rough edge, numerous time shifts and a harder vocal delivery – this is a song that is hard to really define. So many influences converge in the one tune that it’s hard to pigeonhole. I for one love that aspect; there’s a challenge for both band and listener, the need to be pushed to an unexpected feeling. Why be constrained by one sound? The Dead Krazukies seem unbothered by templates and expected norms, they are here for their own pleasures, and you enjoy or you lose out.
That hardness flows through into ‘The Unseen One’, a song that wears its influences as a badge of honour but manages to bury them enough to be original. The combination of older school punk with a skate punk sensibility works to perfection. This is the musical version of a pair of Doc Martens, something that fits seamlessly across a range of generations. There’s comfort in this one.
There’s a lot happening in the 81 seconds of ‘All The Noise’- a surprising amount actually, and it all works perfectly. It’s fast, it’s slow, it’s layered and textured, it manages to feel right and not contrived. A combination of talent and skills compressed into a short space that feels bigger than it should. Joyful.
Rolling, rocking, pushing. ‘Silverlines’ embodies it all. Driven forward with a magnificently old school bass, raw and subtle as one, a pretty much timeless song. Again, the vocal delivery is key, subtle changes in power and tone add personality but also underpin the balance of the song. Musically, it shows that the ability to mix things up, to challenge, is at the core of the band. Why hold back when you can forge forward? If you don’t push yourself, why are you here? This is a band that pushes.
‘Elysium’ (A place of ideal happiness, bliss or perfect peace). There’s a simplicity to this song, it’s uncomplicated but it works, it really works. Again, the strength of the vocals carry the tune, again the combinations work. This is music to lift you before a night out, a primer for things to come. It’s a banger.
‘Playa Nevada’ closes the album in an unexpectedly magnificent curveball. A song that speaks of the band’s origins, of the cultural environment they have emerged from.
This is an album of contrast, of reflection and heritage. Of both the music that influenced The Dead Krazukies and the culture that formed them. This is a band that has synergy, so many elements subtly working together and this is why this album works; this is very, very good.
‘CIPHER’ is out on 26th June 2026 on vinyl via SBÄM Records HERE and Kicking Records. Get your digital download from HERE
Join The Dead Krazukies at their FREE ENTRY album release party on 1st August at L’Ile Du Malt, Soorts-Hossegor, France – details HERE
Main Photo Credit: ALBERTO SCATTOLIN
- Before the Storm
- 1997
- Red Letter
- Far and Beyond
- Neuralyzer
- Blackwall
- The Unseen One
- All the Noise
- Silverline
- Elysium
- Playa Nevada
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Heavily influenced by an older brother, I discovered a love of music at an early age, initially with Punk but eventually with pretty much everything. I play guitar and bass to a very low standard and regularly ‘entertain’ my family and dogs with unwanted noise. I am usually found at the back of both gigs and football matches!
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