Review DOG EAT DOG ‘Free Radicals’

Dog Eat Dog is one of the bands that influenced the sound of the 90s. Especially ‘All Boro King’, the band’s debut album, had it all and songs like ‘No Fronts’ and ‘Who’s the King’ are some of the hits of a whole generation. What made the sound of the band so exciting was the fusion of metal, hardcore and rap, all garnished with the sound of the saxophone.

Unfortunately, the band couldn’t keep up the momentum of their debut, even if ‘Play Games’ was still somewhat OK. In general Dog Eat Dog slowly disappeared from the scene and the moniker only brought back memories. Now the band returns with ‘Free Radicals’ and one can be curious whether John Connor and comrades have found their road back to success.

With 14 songs the new album offers a lot of music and right at the beginning of the album it is noticeable that the old vibe is back. ‘Lit Up’ and ‘Never Give In’ have already been released as singles. These are typical Dog Eat Dog anthems, where you can sing along. Also the degree of heaviness is fine and it doesn’t take long for the listener to get into the groove.

The slightly reggea-based ‘1 Thing’ gives you a feeling of ease before the guitars dominate again on ‘Mean Str.’. The fast paced ‘Blvk Clvd’ lets the hardcore root blossom while ‘Bar Down’ reveals a new nuance of Dog Eat Dog. The song is a somber one, wrapped in a gray veil called melancholy.

However, the best song is without a doubt the following ‘Man’s Best Friend’. It is statement of friendship to all dogs, which are man’s best friends. The song can take it up with the hits of the early 90s because the chorus gets stuck in the mind of listeners.

Punky it gets with ‘E1on1’ and is the chewy ‘Looking Back’ which leads into the laid-back closer ‘Zamboni’.

‘Free Radials’ is the return of Dog Eat Dog. Following up on the sound of the debut, the band offers refreshing songs that both draw from their own history and reveal new nuances. All in all, ‘Free Radicals’ is a thoroughly entertaining record that you’ll enjoy listening to a few times and since the guys will also be on the road live, you can already look forward to the upcoming live shows.