OLD DEER - Someone in the House (Premiere)

Written by: The Administrator

Promo material for Someone in the House, the debut album from Denver's Old Deer, describes its genre affiliations thusly:  "notes of sludge, doom, and post-metal, woven into foundations of blistering mathcore, noise rock, and post-hardcore." A wide array of descriptors are then employed, seemingly hitting all the bases when it comes to heavy music. Someone in the House is dizzying, harrowing, visceral, brutal, and spidery. It is ear-shredding, shape-shifting, and pit-inducing. Unpredictable and extreme.

Needless to say, before hitting play, I was unsure what exactly to expect lurking within. I was also very excited, because all of the words above indicate that Old Deer have concocted an optimal recipe for cacophony. I mean this both in a predictive sense (I'm willing to bet this album is cacophonous!) and a descriptive one (I listened to this album and it is indeed cacophonous!) Truth be told, I love a well-executed cacophony, and I love what Old Deer have done with this album. But! Before I scare you away with ceaseless blathering: Someone in the House is available today, Nov. 7th. We're pleased and honored to offer a full album stream. Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll meet you on the other side!

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​From its genre conglomeration, to its structure and sequencing, to its willingness to embrace the unexpected, Someone in the House is an album that rewards immersion. While there's a general thread of sonic intensity, every track delivers something a little different. Variation is the spice of life, after all, and this album simply thrives on variety. The succinct eruption of 19 second opener "2eizure 2alad" is subverted immediately by the lurching heft of "The Hatch," a track which is further subverted by the mere existence of a squealing saxophone jumpscare. And this is, frankly, only the beginning. Take the lush expanse and dynamic interplay of the title track, or the overt hardcore-inspired bombast of "Take it All," or the churning tempest of "Maelstrom," or the ambient noise and vocal samples featured prominently throughout the extensive closer "4507." This closing opus is notably odd--once the stage is set, distantly forlorn fuzz laced with occasional droning bagpipe(?) is smothered by a menacingly simplistic riff and some tasty progressive post-hardcore meandering. Making full use of its 12+ minute runtime, "4507" leans at times into an almost psychedelic vibe in the leads department, and embraces a slow burn approach to the eventual high-energy punky catharsis in the last few seconds. Old Deer pull no punches when it comes to walloping the listener with something unexpected. 

Despite the array of sounds utilized in the overall sonic assault, Someone in the House feels oddly seamless--the tracks flow in a fashion that makes for a less jarring listening experience than anticipated. In theory, it should feel disjointed. In practice, it simply does not. Indeed, certain tracks almost act as a setup to another. The sneering and squirmy aggression of "Still so Still," for example, sets a mood and almost serves as a teaser for the punky belligerence of the front half of "Take it All." From there, the short and comparatively gentle "Astrid" ushers in the long-form title track, acting as a breakwater from the volatility that came before. Juxtaposition amplifies the impact. And, speaking of juxtaposition, said track does a fantastic job of managing its various elements. It feels quite grand, and uses its length well. The spoken vocals lending a sense of drama that contrasts nicely with the heft and barking aggression of the outro. 

I like Someone in the House for a lot of reasons. It is loud, it is noisy, it is eclectic, it is unpredictable. It is as delightfully cacophonous as I hoped and dreamed. But perhaps most of all, it is deeply interesting, and hen it comes to music that inspires review-writing, that's a particularly admirable quality! If Someone in the House sounds at all interesting to you, I highly recommend given it a well-deserved listen (and a purchase!) on this fine release day.

Old Deer - Someone in the House was released Nov. 7th, 2025. Find it here!

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Old Deer can be found at ​Bandcamp, Facebook, and Instagram
Cover art: Dan Miles