DED is back with a ferociously gritty new single “Rockstar”. The accompanying music video can be seen below.
“Rockstar” is a welcome return for DED, which released its second full-length album, “School Of Thought”, in October 2021.
DED ain’t got no time for that rock-star bullshit, and the song makes that point with razor sharp riffs, industrial crunch, and Joe Cotela‘s guttural vocals, which will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
The band is also revitalized by signing with indie powerhouse UNFD, home to ERRA, CROSSFAITH, IN HEARTS WAKE, INVENT ANIMATE and more.
“In a way, our new song ‘Rockstar’ could serve as the ‘anti-rockstar’ mentality anthem,” says Cotela. “I’m not going to drop examples or point fingers about this topic to pigeonhole it. But I will simply say that I am personally drawn to and enjoy genuine and authentic music created genuine and authentic people. I have always been connected with stoicism and humbleness in all facets of life. To be clear, I am not against success, certain aesthetics, making money or becoming popular, if it is done correctly. Music is sacred to me — it’s my community, my religion, my vessel, my friend, my psychologist at times, and my safe place of artistic expression to get lost in. I respect it and appreciate it too much to watch it be exploited and used cheaply like it is sometimes by certain people with cringe vibes.”
He continues, “The boys gave me some of the grooviest and heaviest music that we have ever done in DED for me to get down on and I couldn’t be more confident and proud of this unfiltered direction of our band. We have been away for a while but we are definitely back and we are bringing hell with us.”
Having burst on to the scene with their debut “Mis-An-Thrope” and its follow-up, “School Of Thought”, Phoenix band DED takes no prisoners. The band embodies elements of nü metal, hardcore, punk, and rock with pop sensibilities, hooks, and choruses, cloaked in some of the most dense and guttural sounds you’ll hear. DED‘s unexpectedly soulful music is about bringing hope, relief and self-awareness, often speaking to and about the young generations that are contending with many deeply embedded issues in today’s society. Rather than the nihilistic, anarchical hellraisers DED might seem to be upon first glance, they’re actually mythical heroes desperately trying to save society, not take it down. Joe Cotela (vocals),Alex Adamcik (guitar),Kyle Koelsch (bass),and Matt Reinhard (drums) are building a community by offering comfort in times of despair.
With “Mis-An-Thrope”, DED took the rock world by storm, generating over 25 million streams making several Billboard chart appearances, including No. 1 on the Alternative New Artist chart and No. 3 on the Top New Artist Albums chart. Singles “Anti-Everything” and “Remember the Enemy” reached Top 20 at Active Rock Radio with SiriusXM‘s Octane naming DED “Artist Discovery Of The Year” and “Anti-Everything” landing in the station’s Top 10 for 2017. The band were also nominated by Loudwire for “Best New Artist”. “Anti-Everything” also made impressive strides at servicing appearing on Spotify‘s U.S. Viral 50 twice and various playlists across Apple Music, Amazon and Pandora. The band also toured with KORN and STONE SOUR.
They followed with “School Of Thought”. Touring-wise, DED lit up festival stages, including Aftershock, Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Rock On The Range and ShipRocked and have toured with IN THIS MOMENT, BLACK VEIL BRIDES, and more. They also enjoyed their highest charting radio hit with “Kill Beautiful Things”, which was Top 15 and the second longest-running song on the airplay charts in 2022, with four million streams and 1.7 million YouTube views.