Existing for eight months in 1985, THE NAKED AND THE DEAD were cult figures in New York City's small but fervent mid-'80s post-punk/proto-goth scene. The predominantly teenage deathrock quartet mixed pulsing, acrobatic basslines and waves of dark, piercing guitar with tribal drum tattoos and siren-like vocals. Constructing complex songs full of unusual time changes, they nonetheless avoided the dour and gloomy in favor of a kinetic, punkish intensity with their own brand of moody power. This self-titled collection contains all of their 1985 material, including all four studio tracks from their eponymous demo ("Taboo," "Cassandra," "Carousel," and "The Gate") as well as live material. Highly sought after by goth & punk collectors, The Naked and the Dead is the first time all of the band's collected 1985 work has been issued on vinyl. And in these modern times when classic goth-punk has seen a renaissance among younger generations, the timing is prescient for THE NAKED AND THE DEAD to received renewed interest and reappraisal.
