Appearances can be deceiving, and sometimes that’s a good thing. One look at Witness the Power’s album cover, and most would guess that Denial of Life are here to deliver some righteously political retro-thrash. While that is certainly part of their appeal, what helps these Washingtonians stand out is in the ways that they take that bare-bones structure and build on it in ways that (sorry) amplify the experience. This efficient EP takes the more proto-death metal approach of Slayer, borrows some grit from Entombed, a dash of evil-sounding melodicism a la tour mates Darkest Hour, and a crossover-ish flair. OK, we have a solid foundation of throwback metallic hardcore bliss; what else is interesting? Well, Witness the Power is a gloriously personal record. Imbued with the kinds of frustrations, fuck-ups, and failures that haunt us all, Denial of Life seem to hint at the ways we refute our own best selves:
“Witness the Power is about making mistakes and facing the consequences of your actions,” vocalist Brenna Gowin says. “Different songs explore more specific scenarios, but it’s all really about continuing a cycle you can’t seem to break within yourself. Every one of us is a human that makes mistakes, big or small, and we’ve all felt the devastation of hurting the ones we love. I’m hoping Witness the Power will remind listeners that they are not alone in that feeling, which is what I wanted to feel so desperately in my worst moments.”
That sense of wanting to not be alone comes across in how the band internally work together, as guitarist Logan Miller shares:
“A foundational piece of what unites Denial of Life is that we really are a family. We have known each other for over a decade; we know each other’s families, and we’ve all been through a lot of shit and a lot of life together. Because of that we’re able to be really honest with each other and communicate when one of us needs to step it up or do better. We definitely hold each other to a really high standard.”
Witness the Power is out Friday and you can preorder it from Creator-Destructor Records. Follow Denial of Life on Instagram for future updates.
Photo Credit: Liv Margullis
