Fiddlehead "Death is Nothing To Us" Review
“Walk with me, I’ll walk with you out of our doom.”
The grief that comes from losing a loved one is unparalleled. Simply acknowledging that death is one of life’s few promises is radically different from experiencing the loneliness that follows when it comes knocking. Many people get lost in the agony, and sadly, some never fully come back. It goes without saying that navigating grief is no small feat, and in the case of Fiddlehead, they have decided to use their music as an outlet for processing these new realities.
Loss has been a lyrical focal point for the band across their previous two full-length records, but there comes a time when a conscious decision must be made to not just persevere but to celebrate life. The Boston punk band’s third LP, the boldly titled Death is Nothing to Us, successfully embodies this exact concept, and in doing so stands as the most profound release in the band’s catalog.
The album opens with the explosive “The Deathlife” - an urgent barnburner about wanting to find peace, all wrapped up in one of the most impassioned vocal performances of frontman Pat Flynn’s storied career. In eschewing traditional song structure, “The Deathlife” is able to cover a massive amount of emotional and sonic ground in its barely-over-a-minute runtime. This track expertly segues into second single “Sleepyhead” and album standout “Loserman” - both of which showcase the band’s penchant for balancing massive hooks whilst not sacrificing any emotional impact along the way. The two tracks balance each other extremely well lyrically, with “Sleepyhead” exploring being lost in the depths of despair, while “Loserman” realizes that this type of emotional low point cannot be sustained, nor overcome on one’s own. And while lyrics stating “you’re not alone” can easily feel like empty platitudes in other contexts, the emotion surrounding the bridge of “Loserman” adds an indescribable weight to the sentiment, resulting in one of the most remarkable moments on a record full of remarkable moments.
It’s at this point where Fiddlehead begin to vary things a bit. “True Hardcore (II)” is somehow able to balance a dancey drum beat with a hook where Flynn and Trapped Under Ice/Angel Du$t frontman Justice Tripp trade off lines for a howling and electric refrain. This song also serves as a bit of reprieve from the record’s largely heavy subject matter, taking an aside to write an ode to the hardcore community that has shown this band so much love since their inception.
For every song that exists in a familiar space for the band, there exists a “Give It Time (II)” or “Welcome to the Situation”, both of which prove that the band is just as well-equipped to write a moody ballad as they are a powerhouse punk song. This isn’t to say that the album only excels in its new elements - both the stunning first single “Sullenboy” and the enthralling “Queen of Limerick” certainly tread familiar ground for Fiddlehead, but there’s an urgency and weight in these moments that never fails to feel inspired and important. Further in the tracklist, “The Woes” has potentially the most unique guitar riff on the record, and the band capitalize on this, building the entirety of the track around this motif. The gloomy “Fiddleheads” follows, and its refrain of “I don’t wanna just get by” feels equal parts pleading and euphoric.
Ultimately, the record culminates in a very different place than it begins, starting with “Fifteen to Infinity”, which may be one of the best punk love songs ever written, and is certain to be a massive moment in the band’s discography. Album closer “Going to Die” feels utterly triumphant, as Flynn remembers the people that impacted his life that have passed, promising that he’ll “see (them) on the other side,” while vehemently proclaiming that he isn’t ready to die. After all of the emotionally heavy moments that preceded this track, this sentiment truly shines like the beacon of hope that it was surely intended to be.
With Death is Nothing to Us, Fiddlehead have created their masterpiece - a cathartic punk opus full of earworm hooks and enough emotional weight to stop anyone dead in their tracks. These songs have stared directly into the abyss and decided that there has to be another way, one that aims to live instead of simply survive. Varied and multifaceted, soul-crushing and affirming, Death is Nothing to Us is the sound of acceptance, and choosing to live celebrating those who have passed instead of suffering in survivor’s guilt indefinitely. A perfect record by every conceivable metric, and an undeniable achievement by an undeniable band.
10/10
