Album review: Dead Pioneers – Wagon Burner

As a Native American, it’s fair to say that Gregg Deal is aware of how things are at the sharp end of life in the U.S. The Dead Pioneers frontman’s intention is to communicate those experiences, and to shine a light on how a corrupt, immoral system keeps its boot on people’s necks – all through the sonic thrill of punk at its most immediate.

While notable names come to mind as the ‘Unprincipled ego nihilists’ and ‘billionaire bastards’ of Nazi Teeth and Circle Jerk The Wagons, it’s clear that they’re merely the latest iteration of a white supremacist structure dating back generations. Gregg’s vocal presence, delivered with clarity and authority, is designed to make these points with maximum clarity.

Wagon Burner isn’t a one-note album, though; Zealots takes aim at those on the Left more concerned with calling each other out than fighting the power, while The Interrupters help out on Never Alone, a fist-pumping dedication to the power of music and chosen family.

Musically too, Dead Pioneers avoid the generic. On Seeing Red and Nobody, the band provide slow-build soundbeds for some of Gregg’s most thought-provoking words. Bassist Lee Tesche’s concurrent membership of Atlanta post-punks Algiers might explain the moody basslines of No Kings and The Worst Among Us, the latter featuring Jason Williamson from abrasive Brits Sleaford Mods. Animals That Roam The Earth even has a swinging guitar line that evokes the danceable tension of Refused.

Gregg’s heritage and powerful insight grant Dead Pioneers a unique importance in the cultural climate of 2026. Open your ears to some real American punk rock.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Dead Kennedys, Refused, Propagandhi

Wagon Burner is out now via Hassle