3-LockBox
01-05-2008, 12:14 AM
I own their Murder Of Crows album and like it well enough, but then I bought their latest, Lullaby For The Devil, about a month ago, and felt like I was disappointed.
Well, a month later and a few listens, I think its grown on me, but I stand by my first impressions, and that is that the leader Devin Graves is trying to take the band in a new direction, rather, he's following the lead of others. The first track sounds like a Mastadon song, what with its shouted lyrics, while the second and third tracks sound like Pain Of Salvation, with their chainsaw rythm section and spoken narration over top the music. It was enough to make me take the CD out of my player and check to make sure I had the right one. Same with the last two songs, where they seem to waver back and forth between Fates Warning and Dream Theater (by way of Metallica). I liked it better when they just aped Tool ;)
The middle section of this is very killer however, as Graves whips out his flute (the musical instrument) and lays down a tastey instrumental with the flute as the lead, like a really heavy dose of Jethro Tull - very nice. In fact, I call the mid-section of this CD (tracks 4 thru 8) vintage Deadsoul Tribe. I appreciate trying to branch out, but in someone else's tree?!? I know I sound fickle cuz I was one of those who thought that The Last Word sounded too samey.
Still, I'd call it a keeper. Even with the obvious similarities twix this release and other bands, its still better than average. Neither Pain Of Salvation nor Fates Warning make albums this good anymore. And once again, that mid-section is prog-metal heaven. Just program tracks 4 thru 8 first then give the others a listen later, and give them time to sink in. This isn't a great Deadsoul album, but it is a good one.
Well, a month later and a few listens, I think its grown on me, but I stand by my first impressions, and that is that the leader Devin Graves is trying to take the band in a new direction, rather, he's following the lead of others. The first track sounds like a Mastadon song, what with its shouted lyrics, while the second and third tracks sound like Pain Of Salvation, with their chainsaw rythm section and spoken narration over top the music. It was enough to make me take the CD out of my player and check to make sure I had the right one. Same with the last two songs, where they seem to waver back and forth between Fates Warning and Dream Theater (by way of Metallica). I liked it better when they just aped Tool ;)
The middle section of this is very killer however, as Graves whips out his flute (the musical instrument) and lays down a tastey instrumental with the flute as the lead, like a really heavy dose of Jethro Tull - very nice. In fact, I call the mid-section of this CD (tracks 4 thru 8) vintage Deadsoul Tribe. I appreciate trying to branch out, but in someone else's tree?!? I know I sound fickle cuz I was one of those who thought that The Last Word sounded too samey.
Still, I'd call it a keeper. Even with the obvious similarities twix this release and other bands, its still better than average. Neither Pain Of Salvation nor Fates Warning make albums this good anymore. And once again, that mid-section is prog-metal heaven. Just program tracks 4 thru 8 first then give the others a listen later, and give them time to sink in. This isn't a great Deadsoul album, but it is a good one.