DEAD POET SOCIETY 'Monarch'

DEAD POET SOCIETY
Monarch
Spinefarm Music Group

Southern California’s DEAD POET SOCIETY has just released their 3rd major label release ‘Monarch’ via Spinefarm Music Group..   A “Monarch” is the head of the state or Monarchy-traditionally a king, queen, emperor or sovereign who rules a state, often by hereditary right.  Sadly, for this story, the Queen has passed and this is the story of her son, the Prince, trying to find his way through the darkness without his shining light.  The Prince is DEAD POET SOCIETY singer Jack Underkofler who lost his mom recently to cancer.   This resonated with me personally as I lost my mom in January 2026 from Dementia.

Several songs on the album deal with this loss and uncertainty as highlighted on the song “Lost” with the lyrics: It's hard to describe the pain I'm in But let me go ahead I used to tell my mama this But now I can't It's like I'm on the tallest bridgeAnd it's caving in Nowhere to go but down Down again.  “Psalm 136” is another one where her loss is expressed: I was young when I was told that I loved God But he murdered my mother, took her away in a black box Now I gotta learn to sleep with the pain like a gunshotStill, he looks from above, says, "Why don't you wanna talk?"  Songs like “Cold” and “The Art of Suffering” also delve into this topic.

Not to say the entire album is about the passing of his mother, it’s also about the loss of a long-time relationship that didn’t end well.  Songs like “Die If You Don’t,” “Dead on the Inside” and the album opener “Hollywood On Fire” with the lyrics: Cause there's no better way to die than to let me go I know that you've been hiding feelings for somebody in your DMs. Me too.  Even if the music is happy and upbeat, that doesn’t mean that the lyrics are as well. Like “Dead OnThe Inside,” which has a sick fat slap bass line, almost disco-esque music to it, but still very dark lyrics: Everything's perfect That's what you say Four in the morning Alone in your head Despite having someone to hold you in bed
When you look around, do you realize you're Dead on the inside.

Despite the heavy topics on this album, it’s very fun to listen to. DEAD POET SOCIETY is continuing their musical prowess by blending music genres (like rock, pop and industrial) into their musical stew.  Outside of the bravery from singer Jack Underkofler, exercising his pain and grief through his music, I think bassist Dylan Brenner also deserves a High Five for the amazing bass lines throughout the entire album, but definitely standing out on songs like “Roach”, “Sinner System” and “The Park”.  

In summary, this is another phenomenal album from DEAD POET SOCIETY which continues to solidify their sound and their place in the current rock world. They show that music rooted in sadness can still be incredibly dynamic, engaging and fun to listen to.

4.8 Out Of 5.0