Review Summary: As an independent album, Slave’s Desire is a diamond in the rough, showing an unusual sense of character for a debut disc that offers a respectful nod to its influences rather than slavish imitation ala modern hipsters like Wolfmother or Jet.
That the band hails from Vancouver, Canada is a bit of a surprise as their sound conveys a sense of sophistication missing from the radio rock format popularized by fellow citizens, Nickelback. The quartet is virtually unknown abroad but small pockets of loyal fans sing praise in internet chat rooms and music forums, suggesting that Dreams of Treason is a true creature of the internet generation. As an independent album, Slave’s Desire is a diamond in the rough, showing an unusual sense of character for a debut disc that offers a respectful nod to its influences rather than slavish imitation ala modern hipsters like Wolfmother or Jet.
Things get started quickly with the show stopping “Take Me There”, which careens with fierce intensity from start to finish. Vocalist, Chris Wright’s enormous pipes showcase the sonic union of arena bravado with a cerebral lyrical style that recalls one certain Mr. John Lennon, while guitarist Alex Whitcombe plays with masterful facility, blending big as sin arena rock riffs with the exotic hues of his lead work. Drawing heavily upon eastern influences and psychedelia, the album’s third cut “Surrender” will certainly win over admirers of Radiohead and The Verve. In fact, there is something here for everyone and yet it all seems to fit together into a cohesive collection that is distinctly Dreams of Treason.
“Keep Your Secrets” provides an unexpected shift into darker territory. While the song has enough radio single sugar to appease fans of U2, Wright’s lyrics boast a dark gothic flair that compliment the otherwise 70’s rock sound-scape. Clearly dissatisfied with a lover past or present, Wright purges some serious demons on the album’s sixth song “Everything Ordinary” singing: “Your silence is seasonal though I can't see the end of this December / now I'm tired of believing that you're the answer to my emptiness”. All this is backed stopped by the adept drum work of Adam Todd, while bassist Dave Robinson contributes significantly to the song’s overall melody and brooding feel. Again, the guitar work here is nothing short of world class, with Whitcombe contributing several memorable melodies that reach their zenith in the song’s second guitar solo; clearly a tip of the hat to rock icon Jimmy Page (with specific reference to later era Led Zeppelin).
As the album’s tenth and most radio accessible track, “Jimmy Swagger” is frighteningly powerful and oddly poetic all at once. Each member of the band flexes their respective chops, but its Robinson’s dexterous bass lines and Todd’s drumming that lend both power and danceability to the cut. Wright manages to sound eerily like Doors singer, Jim Morrison as he lambastes televangelism.
The album finale “Just for Now” offers up a gorgeous, dynamic ode to love and loss tailor made for the stadium, while offering insight into what this band is capable of. With ambience so rich you could cut it with a knife, the track rolls from beautiful acoustic passages to heavy electric choruses that could propel this song for an additional minute or two. Somewhere within Slave’s Desire’s two power ballads “Just for Now” and “Everything Ordinary” lays the blueprint for a more ambitious epic.
Be warned that Slave’s Desire is not for the meek, as Dreams of Treason is a band with subject matter and vigor! In fact, the band manages to play with such reckless abandon that one quickly forgets that the song arrangements are fairly predictable, churning along from one anthemic chorus to another. The words can be difficult to decipher at moments, however this in no way detracts from the album’s overall appeal. Wright employs his voice as an additional instrument lending power and depth to several tracks; a style popularized by such luminaries as Tom Yorke (Radiohead) and James Maynard Keenan (Tool).
While the rhythm section is infectious and often times extraordinary throughout the disc, it’s the melodic interplay between Whitcombe and Wright that is the album’s most appealing feature. Whitcombe and Wright may very well be the most potent singer-guitarist combination since Jagger & Richards, drawing upon a diverse wealth of influences that surface frequently throughout Slave’s Desire’s twelve inspired tracks.
