Within a couple of seconds, the brand new single from post rock band The Fierce And The Dead commands attention. During the intro of ‘Shake Hands & Exit’, the band couple a riff that’s as direct as their fan favourite ‘Truck’ with a stoner rock edge to create something quite sinister. It also represents one of the heaviest moments in their catalogue to date.
It’s then all change when a haunting, quieter verse drops into a waltzing time signature and Kevin Feazey shares a soft vocal that really adds to the growing feeling of unease. By the time the first chorus hits – bringing back the heavier riffs – it sounds unmistakeably Fierce/Dead like, yet at the same time, with a more confident vocal making great use of longer notes, comes with a feeling that the sounds of the previous album are venturing somewhere a little different. These contrasting moods are offset brilliantly by part of the chorus that works harmony vocals within more of a melodic rock setup, with everything underscored by Tom Hunt’s keys bringing a pleasingly full sound.
Those factors would make ‘Shake Hands…’ work as a track, but in true Fierce/Dead tradition, there’s an extra layer of interest when an instrumental break turns everything on its head via an almost ambient interlude, giving the keys a bigger role. This actually makes the final riff and refrain feel even heavier when the twin guitars from Steve Cleaton and Matt Stevens hit at full force, Kev’s bass hits upon a huge chugging sound, and drummer Stuart Mitchell absolutely attacks his kit, delivering a massive riff that is guaranteed to sound even more impressive within the band’s live set.
Mirroring the pre-release promotion of ‘News From The Invisible World’, the band have followed a decent first single (‘The 1234’) with something potentially stronger, ramping up the expectations for ‘Regional Theatre’ (due for release on September 11th 2026) as a whole. It might not be an instant hit with some of the purists that still love the band’s early instrumental sounds, but there’s more than enough greatness here to keep the band in the eyes and ears of the rock underground.
Take a listen below.
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