Dance with the Dead is an American music duo formed in California in 2013 by Justin Pointer and Tony Kim. Their music has been characterized as a blend of metal and synthwave,[1] as well as "dark synthwave".[2][3]
Dance with the Dead | |
|---|---|
 Dance with the Dead performing in 2023 (from left: Tony Kim, tour drummer John Terry, and Justin Pointer) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Irvine, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Members |
|
| Website | dancewiththedead |
History
editDance with the Dead was formed by two friends Justin Pointer and Tony Kim in 2013.[4] The two are originally from Irvine, California, where they had been childhood friends. Over the years they have shifted towards Justin playing the synths while Tony plays electric guitar, although the two may play either while on stage or recording.[1] The band name "Dance with the Dead" originates from a working title for their first song and their fandom to the horror film genre.[5]
The largest influences with the themes of Dance with the Dead have been horror movies, and their songs typically originate from jamming and passing around riffs and samples.[5][6] They have mentioned musical and thematic influence by directors and composers such as Dario Argento, John Carpenter and Hans Zimmer.[1]
The duo has emphasized energetic live performances with guitars and synths. They have been prolific on touring with the album releases, with their worldwide The Shape tour in 2017, Loved to Death tour in 2018, and Driven to Madness tour in 2022.[7] During their live performances, they have shared venues with artists such as Carpenter Brut, DragonForce, the Devin Townsend Project, Magic Sword, and Daniel Deluxe.[7][8] During tours, they have performed with the on-tour drummer John Terry.[9]
While they had previously self-released their music via digital distribution, the album Loved to Death in 2018 was the first to be released with Neuropa Records.[4][10]
Dance with the Dead are featured in the 2019 documentary film The Rise of the Synths, which explores the rising popularity of the synthwave music genre; they appear in the documentary and are also featured on its soundtrack with the song "Dead of Night".
Their record and merchandise art have had a distinct style noted in interviews, with most of the work done by graphic artists Ruben Martinez and Mark Kosobucki.[1][5]
Members
edit
- Tony Kim – guitars, programming
- Justin Pointer – synths, guitars, programming
- Live members
- John Terry – drums
Discography
editAdapted from Bandcamp,[11] Spotify,[12] and YouTube.[13]
Albums
edit- Out of Body (October 2013, self-released)
- Near Dark (August 2014, self-released)
- The Shape (February 2016, self-released)
- B-Sides: Vol. 1 (January 2017, self-released)
- Loved to Death (August 2018, self-released)
- Driven to Madness (January 2022, self-released)
- Out of Body (2023 Remastered Edition) (December 2023, self-released)
EPs
edit- Into the Abyss (March 2014, self-released)
- Send the Signal (December 2014, self-released)
- Blackout (January 2020, self-released)
- Dark Matter (October 2024)
Singles
edit- "The Poison (Reprise)" (September 2015)
- "Tension" (February 2019)
- "Cold as Hell" (feat. Shaun Phillips) (July 2024)
- "Neon Cross" (feat. Brandon Saller of Atreyu) (September 2024)
Remixes
edit- Assault on Precinct 13 (theme) (January 2013), by John Carpenter
- Master of Puppets (May 2015), by Metallica
- Doubt (July 2015), by Good Knives
- Gremlins (theme) (December 2015)
- Paint It Black (March 2016), by The Rolling Stones
- Around the World (July 2016), by Daft Punk
- We Will Rock You (September 2016), by Queen
- Neo-Tokyo (March 2017), by Scandroid
- Kickstart My Heart (September 2017), by Mötley Crüe
- Unspoken (June 2020), by The Dead Daisies
- Takes All Night (July 2020), by LeBrock
- Holy Ground (January 2021), by The Dead Daisies
Music videos
edit- "Sledge" (December 2021)
- "Hex" (March 2022)
- "Kiss of the Creature" (July 2023)
References
edit- ^ a b c d Vehling, Aaron (February 12, 2019). "The Horror of Dance with the Dead: A Q&A with One of the Most Beloved Bands in Synthwave". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ "Dance with the Dead at Húrra tonight". Iceland Monitor. August 24, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ Neilstein, Vince (August 19, 2018). "Synthwave Sunday: Dance with the Dead, Loved to Death". MetalSucks.net. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ a b "Dance with the Dead (Profile)". Retro-Synthwave. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Dance with the Dead (Interview)". Retro-Synthwave. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ "Dancing With The Dead: An Interview With Tony Kim". Monsters, Madness and Magic. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ a b "Dance With The Dead". Songkick. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ "Dance With The Dead Concert & Tour History | Concert Archives". www.concertarchives.org. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ M, Marco (October 29, 2022). "GALLERY: 21 October 2022 Daniel Deluxe & Dance With The Dead @ Tavastia, Helsinki". Tuonela Magazine. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "Dance with the Dead (Artists, Neuropa Records)". www.neuroparecords.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ "Dance with the Dead". Bandcamp. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ "Dance with the Dead". Spotify. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ "Dance with the Dead (Official YouTube channel)". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
External links
edit
Media related to Dance with the Dead at Wikimedia Commons
