DESERTS OF MARS - Dead Planet Exodus (Review)

Written by: The Administrator

One of my most-listened EPs of 2020 was Deserts of Mars' stellar Return From The Void, an eclectic and addictive 5-track project that effectively consumed my listening habits for the better part of a year. I'm fairly certain that these tracks are permanently and physically etched upon my brain, and I ended my (very extensive) review by predicating that I would inevitably be listening Return From The Void until the band released something new. Little did I know that new music from the Mars camp would be a loooong time coming. But! I am happy to report that Deserts of Mars have successfully maintained a prominent position in rotation whenever the urge for some familiar stoner metal hits. Which is, y'know, quite often.

I am also happy to report that the mighty Dead Planet Exodus, released independently on Oct. 18th, was well worth the wait. Self-describing their hefty and irresistible  style as "Mars Metal," Deserts of Mars exists in a fuzzy and occasionally tempestuous zone between stoner rock, grunge, doom, and a little trad metal attitude strewn about as well. This thing is loaded up with hard rockin' riffs and sci-fi flourishes galore, and immediately establishes a well-defined interplanetary aesthetic--not cosmic per se, but rugged and dusty. This is a concept album through and through, with the interwoven crash-landed-on-an-hostile-alien-planet storyline proving an engaging and consistent framework. And not to be overshadowed by the narrative, the music itself is likewise engaging and consistent.

If you're looking for a brief review: Dead Planet Exodus is a wonderful album that successfully builds a world and capitalizes on pent-up potential, and I have very much enjoyed spending time with it over the past few months. If you're looking for a significantly longer review: I've got you covered. Read on below!

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On Dead Planet Exodus,  Deserts of Mars does feel a little more mature in terms of execution. While Return From the Void was more of a collection of tracks representing a variety of styles, this is a full-fleshed concept album with a distinct narrative arc. This is, all things considered, what one hopes for from a long-awaited follow-up. It is clear that much thought has been put into not only the songs themselves, but the way in which the sequence is interpreted as a project with clear dramatic tension. As a general rule, the choruses here are less immediately fun than, say, something like "Black Leather," but that's not a slight at all--I appreciate how the emphasis consistently lands on the way in which the tracks interact to create a cohesive whole. Tony Salvaggio's brilliant vocals, which consistently hit a perfect balance between brunt force and hypnotic charm, are a conduit for the common thread of dismay and resiliency that emerges throughout.

The album crashes down on inhospitable alien soil with the appropriately entitled "Crashdown," which depicts a landing gone terribly array. This track is one of my favorites on the project, led by a wholly entrancing riff that moves my body like a marionette. Interspersed with distress signal sound effects, the melodic vocals recount the tragedy with a spaced-out sense of dread and uncertainty, while the massive chorus crashes with a force and intensity that comes to define the album as a whole. The drums roll with a hollow groove, and the solo shoulders its way in with force, squirming over the thick groove. Already, I am fully convinced that this is the best Deserts of Mars have ever sounded. 

​From here, Dead Planet Exodus recalls the plight of the surviving crash-landed crew in inventive fashion. There's loads of pulpy action at play, reminiscent of golden era sci-fi comics. Ray guns and chrome-plated ships and technicolor aliens abound, and Deserts of Mars make the aesthetic their own by coating the entirety of Dead Planet Exodus with a thick layer of grit, grime, and groove. After a couple of aggression-forward tracks, the mournful "Dead Planet" reaffirms the stakes and indicates that the destitute crew is dedicated to leaving the planet. The following "Darkness" is a bit more of a battle cry, complete with a churning riff and a stomping momentum. There's a clear feeling of triumph and pride behind the last-stand narrative, and I feel genuinely invested in the outcome of this skirmish. The refrain of "Rise up! We are the last survivors!" serves as a glimmer of hope.

The excellent and soothingly contemplative "Midnight Comes" marks the transition into the back half. Another B-Side favorite is the stomping "Temporal Vampires," which brings an unexpectedly gruff and grungy energy to the chorus that vaguely reminds me of peak Stone Temple Pilots. And once the survivors make the trek up the "Crimson Mountain," the album closes on "The Fallen," an emotive and heartfelt memorial to the ones who don't make it to participate in the final exodus. While perhaps more laid back than many of the tracks that come before, it's a poignant conclusion, and wraps up the album in a satisfying fashion.  

Given the vast horde of stoner rock and metal fans in this world, it is frankly criminal that Desert of Mars don't have a more significant fanbase. Their music is compulsively listenable. It is muscular and heavy, and fuzzy and atmospheric, and deliciously riff-centric while still maintaining a healthy adherence to hooky melody. The bass is forward in the mix, contributing to a hefty presence that isn't entirely dependent on a behemothian guitar tone. There's enough meandering to merit a psychedelic tag, yet enough narrative structure to truly earn that "cinematic" descriptor. Above all, the music feels unique in an admittedly very crowded arena, so much so that Deserts of Mars may very well have clinched their spot at the top of my personal list of 2024 stoner metal adjacent favorites. If any of this sounds appealing, I strongly recommend giving Dead Planet Exodus a well-deserved spin!   

Deserts of Mars - Dead Planet Exodus was released Oct. 18, 2024. Find it here!

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