How Static Dress Are Paving a New Era of Authenticity in Heavy Music
In a culture ever-growing plastic full of instant gratification, fake engagement, and the looming threat of artificial intelligence. Authenticity and creativity is a premium- and more important than ever before. Art is innately human, it’s an expression of oneself, a form of communication for change, for expressing one’s deepest thoughts, interpretations, talents, and emotions. In an internet-driven society increasingly filled with bots, ai, and corporate slop, creatives and artists are often pushed to conform to making inauthentic “content” for the sake of pushing product or made-up metrics, and for some in the industry, it does.. well, for now at least- till the next trend arises. Unlike “art” made as content, real art stands the test of time, it makes an impact- it connects to the humanity within us all. Amidst all of this- the few who believe in never surrendering and standing their ground, the rebels, the punks, those who refuse to conform and push creativity boundaries and stand on business? They’re leading a new movement. Society is yearning for real, and that’s exactly who Static Dress are.
One of the most exciting groups in heavy music, Static Dress made a splash online with their debut single “clean.” way back in 2019, immediately drawing comparisons to the contemporary post-hardcore giants of the aughts such as Underoath and The Used, and while nostalgia is one hell of a drug, that’s not why the track made an impact. The band’s visionary frontman Olli Appleyard lives and breathes DIY. Creativity and being real is of utmost importance to him as a multi-disciplinary artist, with him along with the rest of the band intricately crafting every aspect of the band, self-directing their music videos, designing merchandise, and molding their aesthetic. The band later released the stems to the track online, encouraging those who found them to create their own remixes of the track and inspire creativity. Throughout the covid lockdowns and isolation, the cryptic and cold world the band were building through their music became an intriguing and rewarding escape for many, myself included- spending hours trying to make sense of the band’s moves, going through hidden files on their mysterious websites, puzzles that lead to codes and phone numbers and and even decoding original languages the band created in-between releases. Static Dress move in silence and you can never plan their next move, but with each one, the band became more intriguing and inspiring. Their first non-single release came in the form of a self-produced comic book soundtrack, secret cds at exclusive shows, and a lyrical narrative concept, which later tied into the band’s 2022 full-length ‘Rouge Carpet Disaster’. All of which being a testament to the talent of everyone in the band, but also Olli’s passion for art and authenticity.
The past few years since their critically acclaimed debut have been fairly quiet on the release front for the most part, with the band dropping a pair of singles “face.”, and “crying” and a redux of ‘RCD’- but one would be mistaken to think they were “down” years for the band- the silence on the release front was due to a rigorous touring schedule that saw them go from opening local 200-cap clubs in to touring Europe with Bring Me the Horizon and supporting Underoath on their massive ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’ tour across multiple continents. Oh, and of course, developing and releasing a video game exclusively for gameboy color and “randomly” sending fans cryptic VHS tapes, cards, and clues of what was to come… ya know, what bands usually do… right? The meticulously crafted aesthetic and knack for abrasive riffs and catchy choruses resonated with audiences and artists alike, with the band quietly becoming one of the most influential acts on the underground of the last few years. Aside from his work with his own band, Appleyard has become a premier name in the space for music video direction, adding his signature flair via producing and directing visuals for the likes of Neck Deep and Moodring. With an impassioned fanbase and dedication to the craft, who wouldn’t want to be like or have a piece of the Static Dress pie?
And that’s where the band found themselves, in order to keep pushing the limits, they needed more support and backing from a very shadowy and controlling industry, but signing with labels comes with sacrifice. In protest of labels and the industry at large- even during a spat of their own with a major one, the YouTube and vinyl-pressing exclusive anthem ‘Death To The Overground’ became a statement piece for the band and a rallying cry- they were here to call out “the fakes, the liars, the buy on publications, the momentary marketing, the viral choruses, the ‘dream’ collabs, the numbers, the paid for clicks, the weapons, the mouths, and the online”- they were here for the music, and for the scene.
This leads us to the present day, where Static Dress have at last given us our first taste of what’s to come with their era of “true rebirth” as their merch adequately puts it, with the release of their MASSIVE new single “human props”. The single is the perfect way to kick off the new era for the band- with frenetic post-hardcore riffage, disruptive drums, an incredibly unique call and response chorus, DIY sound design, explosive breakdowns, and most importantly- a blatant and unashamed proclamation. From the first moments of “human props”, the band are bluntly rejecting the industry status-quo, loudly showcasing real amp tones and drums (produced by Erik Bickerstaffe of Loathe) with raw energy and emotion, pushing off the overly-polished and sterilized direction that has become the norm. Appleyard viciously attacks “the Overground” lyrically and doubles down on their mission statement, calling out the liars, the ladder climbers, the criminals, the plastic, and the hollow. The release is the culmination of everything the band have experienced the last few years from industry pushback, controlling labels, and the uncompromising strive for authenticity. If that WASN’T enough of a statement, the band drilled the point home with the announcement that the band were signing to Sumerian Records (who have recently gone through a reinvention themselves), but with that signing that they were flipping the entire idea of a label singing on its head. The signing was one of collaboration of resources- and not a traditional record deal. The band got to retain and further extend their creative freedom- completed by the band’s self-directed and produced music video, which lets the art speak for itself and tells the tale of Sarah and Maeve and their dealings of a fictitious metaphorical version of “the Overground” while still fitting in the previously established storyline and “lore” of their previous videography.
Sumerian Records president Shawn Keith shared that this signing is the start of a new era for the famed label, promising to “usher in a new era of authentic and unconventional talent.” And that Static Dress represented the quality of artistry Sumerian wants to support going forward. Static Dress also shared their own statement, showcasing that their relationship with Sumerian has been built over the years through trust and support as people and fans, long before there were any ties between entities:
“Shawn and the rest of Sumerian have believed in Static Dress for years completely selflessly. Now, our paths have finally crossed at just the correct time, allowing us to execute this band in the way we always wanted to.
No compromises, no forced ideas, no inauthenticities.
They run a label like a label should be ran; actual people promoting music for fans, not just a wannabe money printing machine.”
Static Dress are already making a difference in the scene, and their impact is only going to grow further from here. I’m so excited to see what the future holds, both for Static Dress and Sumerian, but also for the scene as a whole, and the incoming wave of authenticity they’re quickly becoming the flagship for. You can watch the official music video for “human props” below, directed by Olli Appleyard and Zak Pinchin:
