Awakening the rock soul within, DEARBONES have achieved a guitar sound with this project that’s all at once intensely nostalgic, gritty, and brilliantly well-suited to the emotional, passionate mood of the band’s songwriting.
Unless you’re involved in certain sub-genre circles that still actively celebrate new metal and emo rock in waves, you might have all but forgotten – and dearly missed – this kind of sound from the vast majority of mainstream formats. Here we get intriguing songwriting, superb instrumental work, expressive compositions and powerful performances, and almost immediately – The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters draws you in for the long run.
The Sleep is the opening chapter, a complex piece with multiple sections and a powerful use of juxtaposition between delicacy and absolute weight. The softness of the guitar riffs and the leading vocalist’s meandering melody and poetic reflections, soon explodes into the roar of distortion and passionate screams. The subject matter switches gears, and the soundscape rightfully follows suit – reinforcing that shift in emotional intensity.
At way past the five minute mark, The Sleep roams through territories once explored by the likes of Brand New and Thirty Seconds to Mars. DEARBONES’ use of lightness and dark intertwined is also a welcomed reminder of a simpler time, and the band remain faultlessly in keeping with the mood of each section of this story that is the EP.
Silvercreek follows and quickly softens the blow of the opener. We’re led down a thoughtful, personal pathway, by nearly whispered, breathy vocals, hopeful guitar riffs, and a mellow drum line. The sound is beautiful, hypnotic and speaking to the late-night, deep thinkers out there. And then, just as we think we’re settled into the moment, the band drop in with yet another explosive switch to distortion and power.
The recording quality is sublime, the details stand tall without distracting from the overall vibe, and both the quiet and loud parts hit with stunning impact – particularly when experienced at volume. These stories stand out beautifully, too.
The captain went down with the ship – pray that it was quiet, that it was quick.
Ambivalent starts off a little differently – the dramatic strike of a drum, a somewhat indie-rock-infused, almost funky guitar rhythm, and an instant rawness from the scream of the vocal. High energy all the way for this one, powerful vocals, and still an impressively creative instrumental set-up – complete with various stops and starts, changes in direction.
The In Between keeps that acoustic intimacy at the forefront again, letting the audience in closer, building a connection set to last. A well-placed beauty with a superb melody and a gorgeous sound in general, reinforced by paired vocals and reverb-kissed guitars.
As expected, there’s more to the process than first appears, and this is the band making the most out of the moment. Each song is an artistic journey, an expression of an experience from start to finish – so it changes, it mutates and evolves, and moves from calmness to chaos in an awesomely professional, compelling way.
The Monster finishes things up with a another slight change in feel. The verse vocals seem a little closer to punk-pop, the softer moments are a little more loaded with anticipation for the drop that’s to follow, and the drop is far more classic rock than alternative – it envelops and satisfies in a comforting way. The whole thing has you hanging on the lyrics once again, and just feeling at one with the progression and the band as they make their way through it.
What a pleasure to stumble upon. Refreshing songwriting, captivating stories and sensational performances. Here’s hoping this kind of alternative hard rock continues to make its long overdue comeback as and when our live music scenes return. DEARBONES will well and truly be one to watch out for.
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