helterskelter.ca

DEAD BRAIN CELLS (D.B.C.)
1987 - Dead Brain Cells.
1989 - Universe.
more DEAD BRAIN CELLS (D.B.C.).
way more Helter Skelter.

September 1987 - 2022: 35 years of: Dead Brain Cells.

A genesis explosion.

1986, at the height of the speedmetal movement, Canada was a diabolic force to reckon with. After the RAZOR, SACRIFICE and the monarchy of INFERNÄL MÄJESTY, a bunch of Québec punks took a shot. No not VOÏVOD ...but the Montréal birth of DEAD BRAIN CELLS.

The pit opens-up immediately with a "Deadlock" of rapid speedmetal hate, while more brass-knuckle action explodes on "Lies" and the pummeling submission of "M.I.A.". NYHC is fully alive on the 1:48sec "Power And Corruption" and the 1:43sec burst of "The Vice".

While the raw "Monument" should be in every headbanger's playlist, the mid-paced head-shot of "Trauma X", metal progression of "Public Suicide" and the elaborate closer "Final Act" would lead the way to imminent musical growth.

Formed in 1985 and signed to uprising label Combat Records, the boys were in good hands, for now. Playing locally with AGNOSTIC FRONT and CRUMBSUCKERS as well as sharing the stage on tour with DEATH, the cortex union of hardcorepunk and thrashmetal was the new-school.

The terrorist minds of DEAD BRAIN CELLS would rapidly mature and plan eons ahead with 1989's progressive thrashmetal tour-de-force rude awakening: the Universe LP.

*
Dead Brain Cells = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIIHZX7ESso
Live in Montreal in 1987
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps765P9znrQ

May 2, 1989 - 2024: 35 years of: Universe.

Spatial perfection.

After 1987's self-tilted Dead Brain Cells debut-LP, the boys would not only break eardrums, but break the thrashmetal status-quo. Initiated by METALLICA's 1988 And Justice For All LP, 1989 would spear a new sub-genre of fine thrash: smart-thrashmetal. Intelligent lyric-set matched by intelligent metal-patterns that dwells in progressive-roots.

These cells have rapidly matured !

From the initial Big Bang, here's "The Genesis Explosion", the very first chain-reaction. Both raw and refined, this molten metal-fusion releases an immense power. Under the "Heliosphere" their influence grows into a shrine of life. Rock is turned to sand and speed to sophisticated, as both "Primordium" and the Titanic instrumental "Exit The Giants" shines on organic existence and it's inevitable extinction.

From four-to-two legged, the evolution is fully exposed on "Rise Of Man", all the way to it's very own self-demise of "Phobos & Deimos". Science, technology and faith ...a deadly mix ? To the dawn of mankind is were we now all lay, as some of us shall vagabond into this endless black "Infinite Universe".

Darwin's favorite band.

From crossover-mosh to progressive-thrash ...DBC is the answer. Rich heavymetal with off-set rhythms, bursts of leads and a full life-spawning 35min+ concept-LP. Too heavy for mainstream headbangers, but not vile enough for danger-freaks, the band was and currently still sits in a very niche of their own. Labeled progmetal, brainmetal and even lifemetal, these DEAD BRAIN CELLS not only exponentially grew, but leapfrogged ahead into the unknown.

After a pre-production demo for an upcoming CD and still marginalized from the current trends, the band was abandoned by Combat Records in tide-changing 1991. Guitarist Gerry Ouellette sadly passed away in 1994 and albeit a handful of random gigs during the past two decades, there would not be more new music from DBC, yet.

RIP Gerry Ouellette (1964-1994)
RIP Jeff St-Louis (1958-2019)

*
The Genesis Explosion = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTvGXib8YpU
Universe = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx9tb8FpjsM&list=OLAK5uy_mLiuM-99s-n8nLQsJXWWhfGrJvZygkp-M
In the studio with Garth Richardson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoNxdY3im6o
MusiquePlus interview in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGYl6Mri-8
Live in Sherbrooke in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwYGD1aILBo

more DEAD BRAIN CELLS (D.B.C.):

Québec Métal