Deadsy

Deadsy

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1995
Founder	Elijah Blue Allman
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Music albums, singles

Deadsy is a Los Angeles-based American rock group founded in 1995 by Elijah Blue Allman. The band is distinguished by its use of analog and guitar synthesizers, Allman’s deep baritone voice, a dramatic visual style, and a sound that fuses elements of electronic rock, gothic rock, and industrial music with a retro 1980s gothic new wave influence.

Originally signed to Sire Records, Deadsy’s initial self-titled album was postponed indefinitely before its intended 1997 launch. After revising the record and being released from their contract in 1999, they joined Jonathan Davis’s Elementree Records. Their debut was retitled Commencement and officially released in 2002. The band undertook extensive touring throughout the United States, including a notable appearance on the Family Values Tour, which significantly enhanced their visibility in the music market.

After releasing Phantasmagore in 2006 under Immortal/Elementree, Deadsy went on hiatus in 2007. In 2020, announcements were made about a planned 2021 release of their third album, Subterfugue, alongside a reissue of Phantasmagore. Although the album has yet to be released, on February 8, 2024, Deadsy unveiled their first new single in 18 years, "(study for a portrait of) Napoleon In Rags," marking a resurgence and hinting at renewed activity within the industry.

Formation and Early Development (1995–1996)

Deadsy came together in the summer of 1995 when Elijah Blue Allman began demo sessions with drummer Alec Puro and producer Josh Abraham. He then invited his prep school acquaintance Renn Hawkey to join the group. The trio cultivated their distinctive sound driven by what Allman described as "adolescent necessity," while actively seeking a recording contract.

Period with Sire Records (1996–1999)

After being signed by Seymour Stein of Sire Records/Elektra Records, Deadsy faced the challenge of not having a permanent bassist; thus, Jay Gordon from Orgy performed bass duties for their self-titled record. Following the recording sessions, the band relocated to New York City to promote the album. However, its release was delayed due to Sire’s separation from Elektra. During this time, Deadsy continued working with Abraham and contributed "Replicas" to a tribute album honoring Gary Numan. When London Records absorbed Sire and subsequently dissolved it, Deadsy transitioned to Warner Bros., where they secured an option allowing them to exit while retaining full ownership of their master recordings.

In 1998, Craig Riker was added as the permanent bassist as they composed material for what would become Commencement.

Commencement Era (1999–2003)

Deadsy signed with Elementree Records—owned by Korn’s Jonathan Davis—in April 2000, gaining broad distribution through DreamWorks Records by mid-2000. Bassist Ashburn Miller replaced Riker in 2002. With support from Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, they produced a music video for "The Key To Gramercy Park." After several delays, Commencement was released on May 14, 2002, debuting at number 100 on the Billboard 200 chart. A follow-up video highlighted their cover of Sebadoh’s "Brand New Love." The band participated in the 2001 Family Values Tour and toured alongside Korn and Mindless Self Indulgence in 2002. Their repertoire featured additional tracks such as a Rush cover ("Tom Sawyer") and the lead single "The Key to Gramercy Park."

Phantasmagore Period (2003–2007)

Following DreamWorks’ integration into Interscope Records in late 2003, Deadsy signed with Immortal Records in 2006. Their album Phantasmagore, released on August 22, 2006, appeared on both the Billboard 200 and Independent Albums charts. The band supported the release with extensive touring, including co-headlining shows with Deftones and performing at Lollapalooza. In January 2007, bassist Ashburn Miller departed from the band; Jens Funke stepped in as his replacement for touring engagements.

Hiatus (2007–2017)

In February 2007, Allman declared an official break for the band. During this period, members explored different ventures: Carlton Bost committed fully to The Dreaming, while Allman initiated a solo endeavor called Elijah Blue and the Trapezoids, though only demo tracks had surfaced by 2016. In 2012, both Ashburn Miller and Bost became part of Orgy's revamped lineup.

Reunion and Activities (2018–2024)

Deadsy came together once more for a semi-acoustic performance alongside Queens of the Stone Age at San Quentin State Prison in November 2018, marking their first live event since 2006. By July 2020, rebranded as DÆDSY, the band announced their forthcoming album Subterfugue, expected early in 2021, alongside a remastered edition of Phantasmagore released digitally and on vinyl via their Tran Kilo label in November 2020. Bassist Craig Riker returned to the lineup. Despite three years of accepting pre-orders, the vinyl pressing faced an indefinite postponement. Keyboardist Renn Hawkey departed from the group in April 2023. In January 2024, Allman issued an apology regarding delays related to the Phantasmagore vinyl reissue. Subsequently, on February 8, 2024, Deadsy unveiled their first new single since 2006 titled "(study for a portrait of) Napolean In Rags."

Style and influences

Classified by New Noise Magazine within the "Undercore" movement, Deadsy fuses glam rock, gothic aesthetics, synth-driven rock, and science fiction themes. Their musical approach incorporates elements from electronic rock, gothic and industrial rock, metal subgenres including doom and nu metal, art rock, and new wave. Their signature sound is characterized by analog synthesizers paired with theatrical synth guitar textures that blend influences from '80s synth-pop with '90s metal and industrial music.

Frontman Elijah Blue Allman delivers vocals in a baritone register often described as both "seductive" and masculine. His artistic inspirations draw from acts such as Bauhaus, Type O Negative, Gary Numan, David Bowie, NES-era futurism motifs, B-movie pulp narratives, and an aristocratic sense of gloom.

Each band member embodies a distinct elemental "entity" that symbolizes societal influence through specific colors: Blue represents academia; Puro signifies leisure; Hawkey stands for science and medicine; Bost embodies war; Riker reflects horror themes. The group cultivates an image reminiscent of an elite prep school secret society enriched with symbolic references from literature and history, notably incorporating themes from The Urantia Book.

Deadsy's musical style has impacted artists including Cities Aviv, Zetra, and Vision Eternel.

Current members

• Elijah Blue Allman – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, programming (1995–2007, 2017–present)
• Alec Puro – drums, programming (1995–2007, 2017–present)
• Carlton Bost – lead guitar, Z-Tar (1999–2007, 2017–present)
• Craig Riker – bass (1998–2002, 2020–present)

Former members

• Andy Trench – bass (1997)
• Jay Gordon – bass (1997–1999)
• Ashburn Miller – bass (2002–2007)
• Jens Funke – bass (2007)
• Renn Hawkey – keyboards, synthesizer (1995–2007, 2017–2023)

Timeline

Studio albums

Studio albums with select chart rankings

Album Title	Release Information	Highest Chart Positions
		US Billboard 200	US Independent Albums
Deadsy	Unreleased Label: Sire,WitcHouse; Format: CD	—	—
Commencement	Released May 14, 2002; Label: Elementree,DreamWorks; Format: CD	100	—
Phantasmagore	Released August 22, 2006; Label: Elementree,Immortal; Format: CD, LP	176	17
Subterfugue	To be announced; Label: Tran Kilo; Format: TBA	TBA
"—" indicates albums that were either unreleased or did not chart.

Singles

Catalogue of singles including release year and associated album

Title ! Year ! Album
"The Elements"	Deadsy
"The Key to Gramercy Park" / "Mansion World"	rowspan=2 | Commencement
"Brand New Love"
"Friends"	Released as a standalone single
"(study for a portrait of) Napolean In Rags"	Subterfugue

Extras

• A collection of demos and cover versions including tracks such as "Avalon," "Fox on the Run," "My Only Friend," along with unreleased pieces like "Do You Want It All?" and "Sleeping Angel." Certain live performances were featured on tour compilation albums or promotional materials.

Music videos

Compilation of music videos with year and director credits

Title	Year	Director(s)
"She Likes Big Words"	2001	Not available
"The Key to Gramercy Park"	2002	Fred Durst
"Brand New Love"		Deadsy Legions
"Babes in Abyss"	2005	Not available
"Razor Love"	2006

Notes

• A Initially released in the United States in 2001, "The Key to Gramercy Park" was issued as a double A-side single alongside "Mansion World." This single saw a reissue in 2002.