It's not just forest fires and smoke that've been wreaking havoc in Canada lately. On June 8, 2023, DEAD QUIET released their fourth studio album, aptly titled "IV," on Artoffact Records. Okay, maybe 'havoc' is too heavy of a word, While often touted as a Stoner/Doom band, in truth DEAD QUIET has more of a Prog Rock vibe, with artfully technical compositions oscillating between heavy barrages and acoustic flourishes. It's exactly the type of Hard Rock that you'd expect from the gentler and more reasonable half of North America.

"IV" clocks in at a healthy 45 minutes and offers nine tracks, two of which are instrumental. All the vocals are clean, including those of guest vocalists Marin Patenaude and Becky Black. Other guests, btw, include Matt Kelly (CITY & COLOUR). The album is very even-handed and, in fact, runs the risk of almost being too much so. Perhaps it's too well-produced, perhaps it's too tempered with keyboards and vocal harmonies, but there are few moments of sheer viscera when the band just lets loose and runs. When they do run, they do so with deliberate, measured pace much as if they are holding back.

The band is at their best when they are leaning into their technical virtuosity. Amongst their most notable tracks are the two instrumentals-"Lamentations" and "Ascensions"-when they aren't trying to live into the pathos of a narrative or the didactics of an agenda. The final track, "Leave the Light On," is also an undeniable standout track, authentically laying bare the bones of stark grief. The heaviest track by far is "Existential Dread." And the elements that make it good also underscore what a lot of the remainder of the album lacks-viscera. So often throughout the album we are teased with moments of Metal vehemence only to be met with polished keyboards and smooth vocal harmonies.

All in all, much of "IV" comes across forced, like the passion is running low and the band is relying on their technical skills to fill the void. DEAD QUIET is a good Prog-ish Hard Rock band and for a lot of people that's good enough. For them, "IV" will be solid find. Extreme metalheads may need a bit more blood and flesh.