“BIG, CINEMATIC AND FIERCELY CONFIDENT” DEAD PONY UNLEASH NEW EP

EP REVIEW | DEAD PONY – EAT MY DUST by Anne Kelly

I didn’t want to review Dead Pony’s latest EP. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but you see, this band are personal to me. I’ve watched as their sound and line-up has – for better or worse – progressed over the years. Some of my first published reviews came directly from fangirl territory of this band; I did – and still do – adore them. So to be tasked with the challenge of reviewing their latest release without bias, I knew I would ultimately be defeated.

Dead Pony are not the band they were 5 years ago; and equally, I am not the same person either. Evolution is inevitable in us all and following the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Ignore This in 2024, the Glasgow band return with the energy and attitude of a group who are unapologetically themselves. That fearless confidence is what sets them apart from the noise and their brand new EP Eat My Dust reflects a transition in both sound and maturity.

That maturity doesn’t mean they’ve softened, though; if anything, it’s made them sharper. With just shy of 20 minutes to communicate their boldest move yet, Dead Pony don’t beat around the bush, utilising every second to pack in as much purpose and noise as they possibly can.

Hooking the loyal listeners back to their sonic universe straight away, ‘What If?’ opens with the same melody that was interpolated from their debut album Ignore This. In a nod that won’t go unappreciated, the track revives the ominous hook from 2023 single ‘Cobra’, a melody that later returns to close out the penultimate album track, ‘Faces on the Wall‘.

A tense, reflective slow-burn, ‘What If?’ opens with vocalist Anna Shields asking the vulnerable question, “What if I’m still not good enough?” setting up a theme of post-album doubt. Yet, as the song builds quietly before exploding into a guttural roar of that opening line, its cutting honesty combines with an abrupt two-minute ending to create a profound sense of newfound confidence.

Leading straight in with the massive title track ‘Eat My Dust’, the band fuels the energy with in-your-face, Matrix-style intensity. Built on heavy, programmed production designed for maximum impact, the track is masterfully softened by Shields’ melodic vocals. It’s confident, unapologetic, and dripping in early-2000s nu-metal nostalgia.

‘Freak Like Me’ is as Dead Pony as Dead Pony gets. It perfectly embodies the cheeky, fun, and defiant personality that we all love about them. It’s a literal middle finger to the doubters, driven by lines like, “You’re jealous everybody knows it, you wish you could be a freak like me.” The highlight comes around the 2:40 mark where the track drops into a breakdown with a distinct, impulsive Rage Against the Machine energy before erupting completely. This song was born to be played live.

With a funky bassline intro designed to stop you dead in your tracks, ‘Fury’ leans heavily into the sheer power of Shields’ vocals with a hook-driven, incredibly catchy chorus. Brilliantly balancing raw metal energy with a mischievous pop-infused sensibility, the song soon explodes into a much heavier beast, flipping the script just when you least expect it.

The most disorienting moment on the EP, ‘Boom’ plunges the listener into a spiraling confusion. With a mix that intentionally feels “off,” the track captures a sense of car-crash-style discomfort. This is what Blair Crichton (guitarist, vocalist, and producer) is a master of. Not only does he understand the Dead Pony vision, he executes it by pushing familiar territory to fresh new heights. Always daring to break boundaries, his production style is distinctively his own. Every verse meticulously builds in volume and chaos, making you feel like you’ve been dropped into an intense video game, complete with a massive, cinematic, siren-infused climax.

The final track ‘Lost Inside Me’ closes the EP on a more organic note, leading with the sound of rainfall and gentle piano intro. Driven by a thumping rhythm and layered vocals that rapidly build in speed and intensity, the song offers a poppy, anthemic chorus that feels significantly more vulnerable and heartfelt than anything else on the EP. It’s less polished than the rest of the tracks, but the early-2000s nu-metal influence is still just as heavy, complete with a Slipknot-ready breakdown at the 3-minute mark. ‘Lost Inside Me’ feels like a statement, one which will no doubt establish the next era of Dead Pony.

Eat My Dust is a triumph of an EP and a marker of a band much bigger than the local Glasgow scene it not only commands, but leads. With fresh new talent like Fog Bandits, Lo Rays, Sister Maads, Awful Eyes, and Count The Days (to name just a handful) rising from the Glasgow alternative underground, Dead Pony are nurturing that scene as much as they are influencing it.

Is this a personal favourite collection from Dead Pony? It certainly sits up there comfortably. Big, cinematic and fiercely confident, Eat My Dust suggests a band who are ready to take things up a notch on an international level. Whatever comes next, we are entirely on board.

Eat My Dust is out now – make sure to catch Dead Pony when they hit the road this weekend appearing at Slam Dunk Festival before kicking off their own UK tour. Remaining tickets on sale now.