Love can turn into hate quickly when someone is betrayed. In the event of someone cheating on their partner, a lot of the love and respect someone has for another goes out the window. Thankfully, music is good for coping with this trauma. A great example of this is Palaye Royale.
Background
Seemingly out of nowhere, Palaye Royale dropped the song “Dead to Me” in anticipation for their EP Sextape that came out on December 8th. In an EP of covers, this seems to be one of two original songs. The rest of the tracks include covers of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and Lana Del Rey. While the rest of the tracks are impactful, the focus will be on the single.
Lyrical Overview
The strength of this song lies in the story it tells. “Dead to Me” is about a toxic relationship, and throughout it shows how it gets progressively worse. Eventually, there is a breaking point. The narrator describes them walking in on their partner cheating on them and then gets violent with the affair partner. It is disturbing and heartbreaking seeing how the narrator reached the point of no return, and that is why the story is effective songwriting.
This song uses simple terms in describing the beginning, middle and end of the narrative. It does not leave a lot to the imagination, but that is the best way to get the message across. Its lyrics are unfortunately relatable to anyone who has felt betrayed by a loved one.
Musical Overview
Palaye Royale is known for their punk rock music; so hearing Remington Leith, the lead vocalist, drop bars is unexpected. Leith tells this story in a rapping format, but puts a spin on it. As the story progresses and gets more intense, Leith’s vocals become increasingly quicker, more panicked and angry. It is a realistic tone shift for the narrator, and it deserves much praise.
The way they delivered lyrics changed with this track, but the instrumental backing remained in the same realm as their 2022 release Fever Dream. While a well done record, it does not mesh well with the new format. That is where the track takes a minor hit.
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Verdict
The narrative of this song is powerful, the delivery is a surprise, but the backing band could not keep up. This song is 8.5/10.
Palaye Royale’s “Dead to Me”:
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Kasper Mielke is a music reviewer for the Eastern Echo. He is a women and gender studies major with a minor in creative writing. He has worked for The Echo since the summer of 2022, and has stuck to writing music reviews.
