Full Review

Artifas, Leave Me For Dead Review

Artifas is an American Hard Rock band formed in 2011 in Jackson, TN, by lead guitarist Cody Criswell and lead vocalist Scottie Somerville. The band released their debut EP Enemy Inside in 2013 and supported the project with numerous regional/national tours. Also, in that same year, the band replaced former members with guitarist Mikey Miller, bassist Anthony Mattox, and drummer Jared Wainscott. In 2015, Artifas released their first full-length album Inhuman. The title track would bring the band commercial success, reaching # 32 on Billboard’s Active Rock chart and sending the band on the road with established artists like Theory of a Deadman, Shamans Harvest, Pop Evil, Saint Asonia, Aranda, and others. The follow-up single from that record, “Blood 4 Blood,” would later get picked up by the World Series of Fighting and subsequently land a feature in the UFC movie “Fight Valley.” In 2016, Artifas remained on tour throughout the US. In addition, they started traveling internationally for the first time with Papa Roach, Hoobastank, POD, Trapt, and Sick Puppies to play for our American Troops. After much soul searching, Artifas elected to embrace their own vision and write/produce their next album independently, free from the creative overreach of outside influence. After two years of writing, recording, and mixing, Artifas has completed the new album titled Reflections (releasing November 19, 2021) and is now releasing the second single from the album called “Leave Me For Dead.”

Bottom Line: “Leave Me For Dead” is built around a hard-hitting riff and catchy melody influenced by semi-prog, metalcore, and radio rock. The song was mixed and mastered by Forrester Savell (Twelve Foot Ninja, Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus) and clearly conveys Artifas’ important message on unity, inspiration, and the sempiternal battle between dark and light. The opening riff sets the stage for an energetic journey through the form. The chorus opens up after a verse of interesting hits and textures, guitars, and keyboards. With full vocal backgrounds, the hook is a solid presentation. The bridge has metalcore elements as we are taken to the breakdown and build back to the chorus and ending. There are plenty of consistencies, but also interesting ebbs and flows. Somerville has a frontman persona that surges through the song, and the guitar work is excellent. Although a guitar solo would be nice, the first single, “Cut Me Out,” has a fantastic guitar solo by the way. The band is solid in their performance and vision, making for a song that flows and is memorable. That’s the short of it!