Million Dead - ‘A Song To Ruin – Deluxe Edition’

KKKKK – Kerrang! 9/10 – Rocksound 4/5 – The Independent 8/10 – NME 9/10 – Metal Hammer

Six years after its original release, Million Dead’s seminal debut album ‘A Song To Ruin’ is lovingly re-mastered, re-packaged with a DVD and made available to buy for the first time in over 4 years.

‘A Song To Ruin’ originally came out on 8th September 2003 amidst a scene of British bands playing music inspired by American hardcore. The London quartet’s particular brand was fast-paced punk, that experimented with unusual time signatures, mind-boggling lyrical genius and killer riffs and made them one of the most respected and acclaimed bands from the scene. The album cracked the Top 20 Independent Chart on week of release and was described by then Kerrang! Editor Ashley Bird as: “Jaw-droppingly fiery, punk-fuelled noise laced with intelligence and soul...” and by The Independent as “A quite incredible debut.” The singles ‘Breaking The Back’ and ‘I Am The Party’ were championed by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and Mike Davies, the videos were on constant rotation on MTV2 and the band received a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Kerrang! Awards.

‘A Song To Ruin’ sold out of it’s original pressing and as the band split, no further ones were ever manufactured. It was never made available digitally either and so for four years, this celebrated album has become impossible to find and highly sort after. Until now! This re-mastered version includes all original 10 tracks as well as 5 bonus tracks of demos, b-sides and the single ‘I Gave My Eyes To Stevie Wonder’.

Inspired by hardcore heroes Black Flag, Million Dead spent their lives on the road touring and playing anywhere and everywhere. And it was live that the band’s talents truly shone through - their musicianship matched only by their frenetic individual performances. Ben’s powerhouse drumming, a blur at the back of the stage; Cam’s intricate riffs blending perfectly with Julia’s aggressive basslines and Frank, an unhinged master of ceremonies, shouting complex lyrical rhymes whilst hurling himself across the stage and into the crowd.

With this in mind, this re-mastered album is accompanied by a DVD that includes the long awaited video footage of their last ever London performance at the Underworld in 2005 as well as their last gig with original guitarist Cam and every promotional single video from both albums.

Full track-listing for ‘A Song To Ruin – Deluxe Edition’

CD
1. Pornography for Cowards
2. Breaking the Back
3. I Am the Party
4. Charlie + the Propaganda Myth Machine
5. A Song to Ruin
6. Smiling at Strangers on Trains
7. MacGyver
8. Relentless
9. The Kids Are Going to Love It
10. The Rise and Fall
11. Gnostic Front (Bonus Track - previously available on the Japanese edition of 'A Song To Ruin')
12. I Gave My Eyes To Stevie Wonder (Bonus track - single released 17/5/04)
13. Medicine (Bonus track - b-side to 'I Gave My Eyes To Stevie Wonder')
14. Tonight, Matthew (Bonus track - b-side to single 'Living The Dream')
15. Asthma (Bonus track - rare demo track)

DVD
Million Dead’s last ever London show in full (22nd September 2005)
Million Dead’s last performance with Guitarist Cameron Dean
All of Million Dead’s promotional single videos:
'Smiling At Strangers On Trains'
'Breaking The Back'
'I Am The Party'
'I Gave My Eyes To Stevie Wonder'
'Living The Dream'
'After The Rush Hour'
'To Whom It May Concern'

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