Dance with the Dead | |
|---|---|
 Dance with the Dead performing in 2023 (from left: Tony Kim, tour drummer John Terry, and Justin Pointer) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Irvine, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Members |
|
| Website | dancewiththedead |
Dance with the Dead is an American music duo formed in California in 2013 by Justin Pointer and Tony Kim. Their music has been characterized as a blend of metal and synthwave, [1] as well as "dark synthwave". [2] [3]
Dance with the Dead was formed by two friends Justin Pointer and Tony Kim in 2013. [4] The two are originally from Irvine, California, where they had been childhood friends. Over the years they have shifted towards Justin playing the synths while Tony plays electric guitar, although the two may play either while on stage or recording. [1] The band name "Dance with the Dead" originates from a working title for their first song and their fandom to the horror film genre. [5]
The largest influences with the themes of Dance with the Dead have been horror movies, and their songs typically originate from jamming and passing around riffs and samples. [5] [6] They have mentioned musical and thematic influence by directors and composers such as Dario Argento, John Carpenter and Hans Zimmer. [1]
The duo has emphasized energetic live performances with guitars and synths. They have been prolific on touring with the album releases, with their worldwide The Shape tour in 2017, Loved to Death tour in 2018, and Driven to Madness tour in 2022. [7] During their live performances, they have shared venues with artists such as Carpenter Brut, DragonForce, the Devin Townsend Project, Magic Sword, and Daniel Deluxe. [7] [8] During tours, they have performed with the on-tour drummer John Terry. [9]
While they had previously self-released their music via digital distribution, the album Loved to Death in 2018 was the first to be released with Neuropa Records. [4] [10]
Dance with the Dead are featured in the 2019 documentary film The Rise of the Synths , which explores the rising popularity of the synthwave music genre; they appear in the documentary and are also featured on its soundtrack with the song "Dead of Night".
Their record and merchandise art have had a distinct style noted in interviews, with most of the work done by graphic artists Ruben Martinez and Mark Kosobucki. [1] [5]
Adapted from Bandcamp, [11] Spotify, [12] and YouTube. [13]
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Media related to Dance with the Dead at Wikimedia Commons