Post hardcore outfit Million Dead are set to reunite next year for a series of live shows to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their dissolution. Lead vocalist Frank Turner, now a highly successful solo artist, made the announcement via Instagram, confirming that all five members of the group will return to the stage next year after months of reunion buzz.
The reunion comes after a meeting in March 2024, during which the band members realised they could no longer recall the reasons for their split. “We’re pretty excited, we hope you are too,” Turner wrote, signalling the band’s enthusiasm for the upcoming shows. While no specific dates or venues have yet been revealed, the announcement has already sparked considerable interest, with fans taking to social media to express their excitement.
Million Dead formed in 2000, spearheaded by Cameron Dean and Julia Ruzicka, and were soon joined by Frank Turner and Ben Dawson. The group became known for their energetic live performances and distinctive blend of post-hardcore and punk rock influences. In 2003, they released their debut album, A Song to Ruin, which received favourable reviews from critics and established them as a prominent act in the UK’s alternative music scene.
Their second and final album, Harmony No Harmony, followed in 2005, marking the band’s evolution towards more complex arrangements and showcasing a wider range of influences. Despite the band’s relatively short lifespan, these two records have been considered seminal works within the post-hardcore genre, earning Million Dead a loyal following.
The band’s initial run came to an abrupt end in September 2005, following a final performance in Southampton. The members cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause for their split, and in a candid statement at the time, the band remarked that “it would be impossible to continue.” They left with a cryptic yet memorable declaration that they would “rather leave a good-looking corpse.”
Frank Turner’s departure from the group marked the beginning of his successful solo career, with his debut album Sleep Is for the Week arriving in 2007. Meanwhile, other band members also remained active in the music scene. Tom Fowler and Julia Ruzicka formed a series of projects, including Quiet Kill and The Idle Hearts, continuing their exploration of experimental and alternative music.
In the decade following the band’s split, Turner would go on to release nine additional albums, earning widespread acclaim and securing a place as one of the UK’s leading singer-songwriters. His most recent album, Undefeated (2023), reached Number Three on the UK charts. The singer-songwriter himself attributes some of this solo success to his origins in Million Dead, telling Punk Ska Press in 2011 that he “wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if I hadn’t done Million Dead before,” and that he is “proud of the music”.
