heat death of the universe is the third full length album from Fort Worth skramz and screamo band Dead Butterflies. I think that this band can also be labeled something like "electronic screamo" due to the awesome electronic elements incorporated into most of their songs. Whenever I try to talk about Dead Butterflies or this album I always try to explain it like "if a Sonic the Hedgehog OST had a baby with a screamo band." I also saw a Bandcamp comment that said it had "Undertale skramz vibes" so I think my analysis checks out. I'm not really well versed in the technical aspects of electronic music production - or even music production in general - to really go into more depth on that front. They're also the only skramz band I know whipping out trumpets during their shows, but maybe I'm also not well versed in the skramz trumpet scene.

Speaking of Dead Butterflies live shows, I got the chance to see them for the first time in Houston opening for Catalyst and sharing the stage with Salvinorin-A, Empty Shell Casing, Blister, and Lagrimas. These bands are all extremely worthy of their own articles but let's stay on topic. Anyways, Dead Butterflies' set had to be one of the most beautiful sets I've seen in my life. Usually these shows are full of people going crazy, bouncing off the walls, and stagediving on top of you, and this set was no different. However, there was just something different about it. This one just seemed to radiate bliss and pure fun and infected everyone in the venue with it. The band was in great spirits moving around and having fun with the crowd and the crowd was super engaged and stagediving every which way. Meanwhile, the people toward the back were just dancing blissfully to the super energetic electronic skramz being played. It was really the most joyful set I've been an audience member in. It's kind of hard to describe it, but it's true.

All of that was an extremely long winded way to start talking about the actual album, which is the point of this whole post. Like I said, this is the third Dead Butterflies album, preceded by Ramona, The Hurt and I See Myself In You, I Hate It. I very nearly wrote this post about Ramona, The Hurt which nearly made me cry but I won't keep getting off topic. But if Ramona, The Hurt's electronic elements were at around a 5 or 6, then heat death of the universe cranks that up to around an 8 or 9. It meshes so well with the other instruments to completely amplify the vibe and effect each song has on you. Speaking of which, I can't think of an album in recent memory that just completely throws you back and forth on the emotional spectrum like this one does. There are songs like "starfall on our lonely planet", "exploding heart syndrome", and "midnight" that are just unfettered electric energy that will make you bounce off the walls, while songs like "heat death of the universe", "checkered arms", and "in my bones" are much more sorrowful and sincere, their emotional effect amplified by the massive enveloping soundscapes. Literally just imagine the Family Guy bit where Peter is crying in his car to one song then immediately happy and dancing to the next. But seriously, the more solemn songs - along with the rest of the album, of course - are so insanely beautiful and massive, with "in my bones" being the explosive emotional finale to the entire album. This album succeeds in bringing together so many things in a phenomenal way. It is fun, energetic, emotional, sad, and made by a band who seems like they are genuinely trying to make beautiful, expressive art. If you want to go crazy and dance or if you want to lay in a fetal position and get all emo, this album has it all. I am very proud of Texas music.