So three years ago, The Fierce And The Dead released News From The Invisible World, and perhaps confounded expectations by making a vocal album, after years of indie instrumental mayhem. Whilst this strategy could have been viewed as risky by some, it turned out to be a smart move, and News From The Invisible World is widely regarded as their most adventurous release thus far. Until now.
The Fierce And The Dead have now returned with their latest opus, Regional Theatre, and it shows conclusively that the last album was no flash in the pan. Indeed, they were just starting, and this new record not only cements the vocal iteration of the band, but catapults them further into new territory. Of course, when I say new, there are numerous influences identifiable within their overall ‘sound’, but what the band do so well is to dip into those influences, cherry pick the bits they want, and somehow assimilate them and create something all their own. At no point is there any doubt about who we are listening to, and long standing fans will be very happy with the direction of travel.
The great strength of Regional Theatre is the quality of the songs. There really is something for everyone, and the emphasis is on mighty songs with cracking riffs, but interspersed with a psychedelic feel and subversively dreamy moments of beauty. There is also a darker side which is never too far away, a keening melancholy which perhaps reflects some of the paradoxical lyrical themes of dislocation and isolation in a digitally connected world.
Loungeside kicks us off with a great stop/start riff, a mid tempo rocker with dream state spaces between verses, insistent drums from Stuart Marshall and a psych guitar solo as the piece builds in tension and momentum. Hot on its heels is the frantic 1234, which has an almost punk aesthetic. The contrast between the hard riff and Kev Feazey’s gutsy vocals, and the drifting soundscapes in between is pleasing, and a trick they use in several songs.
Shake Hands & Exit is an instant classic for the band, with a monster riff featuring Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton which could level rows of houses in the wrong hands. There are quieter dark verses and post rock guitar jangles, but THAT riff keeps returning, and it’s a killer which will go down a storm live. By way of contrast, Somehow is quite poppy and commercial, but full of nuance and energy. It reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins for some reason, and is melodic and memorable. It soon gets kicked into touch though by Hey Nightmare, a metallic onslaught which features a couple of different riffs, time changes and edgy vocals, and all in a track which lasts less than two and a half minutes. TFATD don’t hang about; they make their point and move on, and they’re all the more refreshing for that.
New full band member Tom Hunt makes himself heard on Superbia, with some super piano thumping. It’s a song which really shows how the band are willing to push themselves, and their audience, to new heights. It sounds nothing like anything they’ve done before, is quite catchy and singalong, but in case you think they’ve gone soft, at the three and a half minute mark or thereabouts, things get heavy again! It’s the perfect example of how much they can fit into a relatively short song. Nothing outstays its welcome, the dynamics shift constantly, and just when you think you’ve got them sussed, they throw a curve ball. On Thrash, they sing “let’s dig for gold, let’s start a band”. By now, you’re going to be glad they did.
Hypernormalisation, with its grumbling bass, alternately solid and jangly guitars and punishing drums has the kind of riff they seem to be able to write in their sleep. Lyrically, it rails at the modern world, with all its interconnected hopelessness.
Clicking to be heard,
Hollow little world.”
As with so many great albums, TFATD leave the best until last. Signal Bleed is the sort of final song which Steven Wilson would be proud of. It’s elegiac, and builds from a minimal intro into a sing along epic, with choir and the band at their restrained best. The melancholy sweep is breathtaking and truly special. All this from an indie band restless enough to want to explore their limits, and push past them. Whether they take metal, punk, stoner, psych or whatever as their starting point, they end up somewhere else. It isn’t prog, but it’s truly progressive, and you need to get on board if you aren’t already. Try catching them live while they’re still playing intimate venues, because they may not be for much longer.
TRACK LISTING
01. Loungeside (4:12)
02. The 1234 (3:15)
03. Shake Hands & Exit (4:55)
04. Somehow (3:40)
05. Hey Nightmare (2:23)
06. Superbia (5:02)
07. Dream Sequence (3:51)
08. Thrash (3:44)
09. Hypernormalisation (4:13)
10. Signal Bleed (4:40)
Total Time – 36:55
MUSICIANS
Kev Feazey – Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Synths, Programming
Tom Hunt – Vocals, Synths, FX
Matt Stevens – Guitars, FX, Synths
Steve Cleaton – Guitars, FX
Stuart Marshall – Drums, Percussion
~ With:
Enya II – Vocals (10)
Kate Watts – Cello (3)
The Choir – Enya II, Jake Murray, Lorraine Richardson, Stephen Feeney, Amber Jacobs
Cheerleaders – Claire Harding, Bebe Hunt, Kinho
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 11th September 2026
LINKS
The Fierce And The Dead – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
