Band: Dredg
Album: Leitmotif
Released: 1999
Gavin Hayes: Vocals/Guitar
Mark Engles: Guitar
Drew Roulette: Bass
Dino Campanella: Drums
Review:
Symbol Song - This song starts out quiet and low, but kicks in with some heavy bass, possibly with distortion (I think), raw guitars and pounding drums. Gavin doesn't start singing halfway through the song, but when he does, his half screaming, raw vocals fit the song perfectly. People who have listened to El Cielo before this cd will have to get used to the more hardcore sound of his vocals. One of my personal favorites. 10/10
Movement I: @45N, 180W - This song is only a minute long instrumental, that is basicly the same riffs as the first song. When you're listening to the cd, if you aren't paying attention, you can completely miss when the tracks change; it's just a little higher, just as raw. Still a great song. 8/10
Lechium - This song is quite long, clocking at 6:24. It takes a while to get into, the progression may make your mind wander a bit at the beginning, but when it really kicks in, it will have your attention completely. Just as the first track, he doesn't start singing until part way through the song, when it kicks in. After a little while of the hard pounding music, it gets a little softer and he continues to sing. The lyrics (just as track 1) are mind-blowing. He also screams a little toward the end. This song is only 9 out of 10 because of the that fact that your mind will wander a bit. 9/10
Movement II: Crosswind Minuet - Another short instrumental, only 30 seconds longer than the previous. It's mainly drums to start and remains the main focus throughout. Halfway through the guitars come in with a low, slowly repeated chord, and then a second riff is played over that. I believe a piano is being played for the rest of the song as well. It sounds kind of fluttery, like butterflies. 8/10
Traversing Through The Artic Cold We Search For The Spirit Of Yuta - Once again, if you aren't really paying attention, you might not notice when it switches. It starts out with just a mellow-sounding guitar, which plays until a later part of the song. The bass can definately be heard here. It counters the more mellow sounding guitar with a rumbling bass riff that's repeated with the drums. After a while it fades down to the focus on the guitars (which I believe are acoustic, for at least a few parts of the song), which have a bit a of a solo; but nothing too elaborate. Everything comes back and fades again, then returns and stays that course and gets slightly heavier. It builds up and you can faintly hear Gavin singing in the background. Then it stops and has this period of radio-like feedback or static and then some electronic wiring sounds until it fades and some more static. This takes a few listens to begin to appreciate it. 7/10
-Intermission- (not actually a song)
Movement III: Lyndon - Another one that starts with some lightly played guitar chords, as the other instrumentals slowly come in, each in their own way. This song is shorter than the last two, about half the time. Also instrumental (there's some voices in the background, but nothing you can make out, just like the song before). After it builds up for a while, it gets quiet and remains that way until it starts to build into the next song. 7/10
Penguins In The Desert - You may recognize the song title as lyrics from one of the songs on their second cd; do not expect to hear them in this song. But they are written on the inside cover of the cd. It starts out with some palm muted guitar with distortion, and quickly builds up. If you missed Gavin's voice for the past few songs, you are in luck here. He does more than just sing, he brings his voice full throttle and screams for a bit, but it quiets down for a long while and he whispers. The instruments kick back but he just sings, then it repeats the screaming bit again. There's also some form of echo or delay effect on the guitar toward the end. This flows into the next song. I'd have to say that this is the most hardcore song on the album. 10/10
Movement IV: RR - The song carries over from the song before and we have another instrumental. I'd have to say that this one is the most interesting instrumental on the album. It has the cool effects on the guitar, fused together with the rhythmic bass and drums and just an overall great flow. If you thought you would get tired of the instrumentals, think again. And if you by any chance did, pay attention to this one. One of the greatest songs on the album. 10/10
Yatahaee - Starts out with a slow guitar, then a nice drum beat, then faster guitar, then stops when he starts to sing, then kicks back in. It continues on that way for a good part of the song. Then it becomes quiet and he's singing in the background with some vocalizations, then it kicks back in. I find the distorted chords at this point to be quite tasteful, and the palm muting that follows. It's hard to say how many times this song changes. After that part, it gets louder and he screams again for a few seconds. Then goes to a medium tempo, that ends with a final beat from the drums. 8/10
Movement V: 90 Hour Sleep - This song is correctly titled, being 20 minutes long. Yes, 20 minutes. Starts with a slow chord again, and after a while has a nice riff over it with the other instruments. That goes for a while and stops completely. Then it's one of those songs with the long blank area before a bonus track. I believe that the blank area is there on purpose to give you feel of a 90 hour sleep. So you wait...and wait...and then guess what, you wait some more. Unless, that is, you just skip through all of the blank area and get right to the last part of the song. But if you're just waiting, you could go to the bathroom, get something to eat and drink, consume it all and come back before it gets to the last part. But somewhere around the 10 minute mark there's an odd scratching noise, then the guitar has a little riff and then a drum solo. Bass comes in there somewhere too. After a while there will also be some more noises like in "Traversing..." There's some singing in the background, but all the instruments sound in the distance, or muffled, as well. He screams a little too. Maybe to have the effect of a dream. This continues, with random noises here and there, for a few minutes. Nothing extremely important to listen to, some of the noises get annoying as well. But you still have to listen to see what's next. The worst song on the cd, in my opinion. It's good to listen to it once through, though...just because. 5/10
Other things:
Although, this a truly great album, I believe that El Cielo is better, and you should get that one if you are not necessarily into this kind of music, and maybe pick this one up at a later time. If you already have the other cd and love it, definately get this one. If you are open-minded, you will enjoy the more raw sound of this earlier album and love it just as much. The only other bad thing about this cd is the fact that there is no lyrics in the booklet...but! It has a theme! This theme is: a man traveling to find spirtuality (in short). And the very plain looking appearance of the paper cd case just adds to the music. It doesn't need to be all flashy and attention getting. So overall, I'd say that their other cd is a must for anyone who enjoys rock music in general, but this is more within the genre. But it excels most of everything within it. So 4/5 for the cd.
We live like penguins in the desert
Why can't we live like tribes?
