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DANCE GAVIN DANCE "Pantheon" Album Review: An Eclectic yet Heavy Fusion of Sound

Our Review of Dance Gavin Dance's new album "Pantheon" out September 12th.

by The Metalverse

Updated September 11, 2025

Our Rating:

8.7

Rock act Dance Gavin Dance are back with their latest album, Pantheon, out September 12th via Rise Records. Formed out of Sacramento, California, in 2005, Dance Gavin Dance returns with Pantheon following their 2022 album Jackpot Juicer. The act has had 4 Billboard 200 Top 15 albums in their discography so far and has earned praise from Rock Sound Magazine, "There is no band on earth like Dance Gavin Dance".

Known for their experimental sound that blends everything from funk, pop, rock, metal, punk, and more, Dance Gavin Dance aims to return to their roots–more experimental, heavy, and eccentric than ever before.

The first track Animal Surgery starts off with building bass, guitar, and an emphasized synth that creates a mellow sound that suddenly bursts into harsh screams, hard-hitting riffage, and slamming drums. Animal Surgery transforms into pop-driven singing melodies that remind of a mix between modern metalcore, 2000s pop-punk, and prog rock.

Next up is Midnight at McGuffy's, which was released as a single back in May. This track starts off with a softer sound that strays more towards the pop and rock side of Dance Gavin Dance's music while staying progressive with an unpredictable song structure that spans multiple genres, while technical guitar leads pan from side to side, complementing the song's vocals.

The Robot With Human Hair: Rebirth has a synth-driven intro that almost reminds of genres like shoegaze until pop-driven vocals introduce themselves. Dance Gavin Dance chaotically changes from sound to sound, ripping away powerful atmospheres to have singing-focused pop sections that soon make way for more aggressive hard rock.

The Conqueror Worm takes on an experimental sound as auto-tuned vocals create a sound that seems to land somewhere between mumble rap and modern reggae before jumping into their staple, hard rock-pop-punk fusion.

Trap Door was released in July and takes on a punk sound with double bass drum patterns and bright guitars, creating an intense yet melody-focused rock sound. Instrumental sections remind us of jazz and progressive acts like Polyphia with a technical showcase of musicianship. Strawberry's Daughters continues the band's hectic song structures that leave the listener wondering what to expect next, blending the band's pop accessibility with a harder rock edge.

Space Cow Initiation Ritual features the iconic funk innovator George Clinton, known for his impact on funk music from the 70's onwards. As expected, Space Cow Initiation Ritual is filled with grooving funk melodies, bouncing bass lines, and eccentric vocals that capture a modern adaptation of funk. All The Way Down starts off comically with the Mario Kart race beeps, showcasing the band's sense of humor before launching into speeding pacing with screams that soon make way for slowed dramatic sections before leading into an addictive chorus. With hard-hitting guitar chugs, dissonance, and screams, during sudden breakdowns, Dance Gavin Dance delivers a powerful use of contrast between infectious melodies and fierce screams as the song's intensity goes in waves and genres ebb and flow throughout Pantheon's runtime.

A Shoulder to Cry On shows metal influences at the forefront as heavy instrumentals introduce the track alongside shrill screams, before a sudden switch up into theatrical scream-singing over funky instrumentals. Showcasing a more aggressive sound, Dance Gavin Dance finishes the song with a melodic edge as catchy vocals fade out the track.

The Peak of Superstition is the complete opposite of the previous track, starting with powerful singing before introducing heavier elements as the track goes along and fading out without a final infectious chorus. The Stickler builds up with a pop-punk sound before building into fully fledged metal destruction with slamming breakdowns, hard-hitting instrumental onslaughts, and ferocious vocals.

Yikes! starts with slower pacing, changing things up, and giving a reprieve from the heaviness of the previous track. Dance Gavin Dance soon switches intensity yet again, building into a hard-hitting sound that reintroduces heavy metal influences, jumping back and forth between brutality and melody.

The final track, Descent to Chaos, continues the band's heavier influences while still taking time to build upon a wildly catchy chorus, continuing their distinct juxtaposition between genres.

Overall, Pantheon takes a step back into heavier territory for Dance Gavin Dance while continuing to deliver the eclectic concoction of genres like pop-punk, hard rock, prog, funk, and metalcore that the band is known so well for. Dance Gavin Dance showcases a powerful sound, bursting with energy and dynamics that leave fans excited and ready for more.

You can stream Pantheon, available everywhere on September 12th, 2025.