Northeast rockers Dead Fish Handshake return with their first new music in five years, “Traveling at the Speed of Life.”
Faithful to their hard rock roots, the booming track kicks off with a mighty riff but quickly reveals the band’s evolution during their downtime. A steady bass groove props up dance rhythms and a light falsetto from vocalist Matthew Paul. “Life moves so fast it seems automatic / So tell me what are we here for?” Paul begins.
Disorder and the rapid pace of modern life are topics Paul contemplates throughout the song. His thoughts on how the outside world shaped “Traveling at the Speed of Life”:
“I’m inspired by the resilience of people and the world’s ability to bounce back from tragedy, whether personal or on a global scale. Lyrically, we’ve always been a band that wanted to be a voice of the people – people who want to see a better day. Even though this song acknowledges a lot of chaos and ups and downs, the ultimate message is we’re on this ride together and hopefully, where we’re heading is better than where we began.”
Dead Fish Handshake shares the new track after their own period of uncertainty. Paul reveals the band broke up during COVID and didn’t anticipate new music – a striking change of plans for a group that had been together since 2011, worked in the studio with Clint Lowery (Sevendust) and shared stages with bands like Stone Temple Pilots & Three Doors Down.
“We were burnt out in some ways and we were burnt out on one another. But we’re all on this ride together. We realized there were a lot of miles ahead of us. ‘Traveling at the Speed of Life’ is about letting the ups and downs flow but realizing we’re all in this together,” Paul explains.
Any rebirth journey is bound to hold road bumps. Lineup changes were in store for the band, steadily consisting of Paul and guitarist Rob Ferreira throughout the group’s career. Joining drummer Mark Birkelbach, Vito Rauseo Jr. on guitar and Ant Salcedo on bass round out the band’s roster for their 2026 release, Safe in the Harms of Love.
“Ant & Vito rescued us when were on life support. Without them, I don’t know where we’d be,” Paul said.
Paul and Ferreira also credit their bandmates with injecting a dancability into the new track – Rauseo through his appreciation of European dance music & Birkelbach’s adaptability and balance between groove and intensity.
Paul highlighted Rauseo’s guitar solo as a high point of the track – a smooth, gliding bluesy-rock moment that reminds you underneath the Eurodance influence, they’re still a rock band.
Dead Fish Handshake is looking forward to a cautiously optimistic future – prepared to sacrifice what it takes to say they’ve given it their all. The band distilled their mindset into the song’s chorus: “I’d trade everything just to feel anything / I give blood just to get out alive / We’re all here / Traveling at the speed of life.”
Dead Fish Handshake will celebrate the song’s release with a November 8th show at Alchemy in Providence, Rhode Island.
Dead Fish Handshake – “Traveling at the Speed of Life”
Hometown: Rutherford, NJ / Providence, RI
Release Date: November 7th, 2025
Genre: Hard Rock
FFO: Royal Blood, Alter Bridge, Shinedown
DEAD FISH HANDSHAKE ARE
Matthew Paul – Vocals
Rob Ferreira – Guitars
Vito Rauseo Jr – Guitars
Ant Salcedo – Bass
Mark Birkelbach – Drums
Connect with Dead Fish Handshake:
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ABOUT DEAD FISH HANDSHAKE
Dead Fish Handshake (stylized as DFH) carved out their place in the modern rock scene with their 2011 debut album, Across State Lines. Originally formed as an acoustic side project by Rhode Island’s Matthew Paul (vocals) and New Jersey’s Rob Ferreira (guitar), the duo soon expanded their sound by adding Darren Furman (bass) and Mark Birkelbach (drums).
Their breakout single, “Changes”, helped DFH make waves in the New Jersey rock circuit. With emotionally driven songwriting and high-octane live performances, the band quickly built a loyal following.
In 2012, DFH released their sophomore EP, The Sixes, produced by Clint Lowery (Sevendust). The lead single, “Turning a Blind Eye”, earned national recognition, while “Leave the Light On” became a fan favorite and one of the band’s most defining songs—a message of hope that deeply resonated with listeners and has grown to hold a special place within the DFH community. Riding that wave, the band hit the road on the “Leave the Light On Tour,” expanding their reach across the country.
In 2020, DFH released their first full-length LP, Lies… and All That Jazz. The album captured the band at full strength—melding timeless rock sensibilities with a modern edge, drawing influence from Foo Fighters, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, and U2.
Since then, DFH has expanded its lineup with Vito Rauseo, Jr. (guitar) and Ant Salcedo (bass), bringing a renewed energy and expanded sound to the band’s next chapter.
Over the past few years, DFH has been hard at work—writing and recording their most ambitious material to date. Their upcoming self-produced album, Safe In The Harms Of Love, is set for release in 2026, preceded by the lead single “Traveling At The Speed Of Life”, arriving in Fall 2025.
Through every evolution, Dead Fish Handshake remains grounded in authenticity, creativity, and a passion for honest rock music.
DFH has shared the stage with Stone Temple Pilots, Sevendust, Three Doors Down, Fuel, Scott Stapp, Paul Rodgers, Ed Kowalczyk, Queensryche, Pop Evil, Collective Soul, Saving Abel, Gin Blossoms, Plain White T’s, Godsmack, Skillet, Anthrax, Living Colour, Hurt, and Extreme.
