Get Dead or Die Trying

From a marketing standpoint, name changes can be problematic for bands that have any type of track record. If you have spent years building your brand, do you really want to start using a name that people are unfamiliar with? There have been examples of bands that changed their names and suddenly found that fewer of their phone calls were being returned. But sometimes, a name change makes sense — and the British band formerly known as Gorerotted became the Rotted for two main reasons: severe lineup changes (only singer Ben McCrow and bassist Wilson remain from Gorerotted's 2005 recording A New Dawn for the Dead), and a change of direction. Stylistically, Get Dead or Die Trying is a definite departure from the albums they recorded as Gorerotted. Before, they had strong grindcore leanings and were greatly influenced by the sick humor and gross-out lyrics of bands like Carcass and Cannibal Corpse, but they aren't nearly as cartoonish or as horror-obsessed on this 2008 release. This time, there is a strong hardcore influence; the material is a vicious blend of death metal (of the non-grindcore variety) and hardcore, with elements of black metal at times. However, this 38-minute CD isn't hardcore-influenced in a metalcore way; rather, there is a strong awareness of hardcore as it existed in the 1980s and early 1990s (that is, back in the pre-metalcore days). Nonetheless, tracks like "Angel of Meth" and "Nothing But a Nosebleed" pack a metallic, harsh, vicious punch. The Rotted, as they are now called, go for high density, and the results are decidedly abrasive. Some longtime fans might miss the grindcore-minded direction they favored as Gorerotted. But Get Dead or Die Trying is a generally decent outing, if a bit inconsistent — and given their stylistic changes, the name change was probably for the best.