DED Drop Video for New Single “Rock Star”

“Rockstar” is a welcome return for DED, who released their second full length, School of Thought, in October 2021.

DED ain’t got no time for that rock star bullshit, and the song makes that point with razor sharp riffs, industrial crunch, and Cotela’s guttural vocals, which will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

The band is also revitalized by signing with indie powerhouse UNFD, home to ERRA, Crossfaith, In Hearts Wake, Invent Animate, and more.

“In a way, our new song ‘Rockstar’ could serve as the ‘Anti-Rockstar’ mentality anthem,” says Cotela. “I’m not going to drop examples or point fingers about this topic to pigeonhole it. But I will simply say that I am personally drawn to and enjoy genuine and authentic music created genuine and authentic people. I have always been connected with stoicism and humbleness in all facets of life. To be clear, I am not against success, certain aesthetics, making money, or becoming popular if it is done correctly. Music is sacred to me, it’s my community, my religion, my vessel, my friend, my psychologist at times, and my safe place of artistic expression to get lost in. I respect it and appreciate it too much to watch it be exploited and used cheaply like it is sometimes by certain people with cringe vibes.”

He continues, “The boys gave me some of the grooviest and heaviest music that we have ever done in DED for me to get down on and I couldn’t be more confident and proud of this unfiltered direction of our band. We have been away for a while but we are definitely back and we are bringing hell with us.”

DED ON TOUR:
9/18 — Palmdale, CA — Transplants Brewing Company
9/19 — Los Angeles, CA — 1720
9/20 — Bakersfield, CA — Temblor Brewing Company
9/21 — Reno, NV — Cypress Reno
9/23 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
9/24 — Portland, OR — Bossanova Ballroom
9/26 — Salt Lake City, UT — Metro Music Hall
9/27 — Colorado Springs, CO — Black Sheep
9/29 — Denver, CO — HQ
10/1 — Tulsa, OK — The Shrine
10/2 — Oklahoma City, OK — 89^th Street
10/4 — Austin, TX — Come and Take It Live
10/5 — Dallas, TX — RBC
10/6 — San Antonio, TX — The Rock Box
10/7 — El Paso, TX — Rockhouse Bar & Grill
10/8 — Roswell, NM — The Liberty
10/10 — Tucson, AZ — The Rock
10/11 — Scottsdale, AZ — Pub Rock
1/19 — Miami Gardens, FL — Shiprocked Cruise 2025

Having burst onto the scene with their debut Mis-An-Thrope and its follow up, School of Thought, Phoenix band DED take no prisoners. The band embodies elements of nü metal, hardcore, punk, and rock with pop sensibilities, hooks, and choruses, cloaked in some of the most dense and guttural sounds you’ll hear. DED’s unexpectedly soulful music is about bringing hope, relief and self-awareness, often speaking to and about the young generations that are contending with many deeply embedded issues in today’s society. Rather than the nihilistic, anarchical hellraisers DED might seem to be upon first glance, they’re actually mythical heroes desperately trying to save society, not take it down. Joe Cotela (vocals), Alex Adamcik (guitar), Kyle Koelsch (bass), and Matt Reinhard (drums) are building a community by offering comfort in times of despair. With Mis-An-Thrope, DED took the rock world by storm, generating over 25 million streams making several Billboard chart appearances including #1 on the Alternative New Artist chart and #3 on the Top New Artist Albums chart. Singles “Anti-Everything” and “Remember the Enemy” reached Top 20 at Active Rock Radio with SiriusXM’s Octane naming DED “Artist Discovery of the Year” and “Anti-Everything” landing in the station’s Top 10 for 2017. The band were also nominated by Loudwire for Best New Artist. “Anti-Everything” also made impressive strides at servicing appearing on Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50 twice and various playlists across Apple Music, Amazon, and Pandora. The band also toured with Korn and Stone Sour.

They followed with School of Thought. Touring-wise, DED lit up festival stages including Aftershock, Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Rock on the Range and Ship Rocked and have toured with In This Moment, Black Veil Brides, and more. They also enjoyed their highest charting radio hit with “Kill Beautiful Things,” which was Top 15 and the second longest-running song on the airplay charts in 2022, with 4 million stream and 1.7 million YouTube views.

Ultimately, DED blaze their own trail as they cathartically stare down various beasts — both existential and innate — proving that there’s a way to live through the struggle and come out stronger, happier, and more aware of how we look after ourselves and each other.  The band is now signed with UNFD and have dropped the new single “Rockstar,” which fires shots at the rock star trope.