PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
The Dreaming are an American industrial rock band who rose from the ashes of the powerhouse that was Stabbing Westward. Formed by lead vocalist Chris Hall and drummer Johnny Haro The Dreaming have two full length albums and a handful of EP’s to their name. Rise Again was titled by Chris Hall and comes brimmed with a desire to bring back to the studio that sound responsible for Stabbing Westward’s success.
I know very little of their former band, however after listening to this superbly engineered release it is abundantly clear that The Dreaming have moulded themselves a strong and unique core sound that weaves its way throughout the entire album. While we may not see a huge deviation from this sound over the ten tracks on offer there is plenty to keep your attention, and with the lyrics being very much from the heart there are some uniquely powerful songs that will draw listeners in with their layers of emotion. From the album opener ‘Alone’ with it’s message that being different doesn’t mean you are alone, all the way to closing track ‘Rise Again’ which shouts from the rooftops about having the strength and willpower to carry on regardless.
Driving the album along is a consistent and purposeful heavy bass groove from former Static X bassist Brent Ashley, providing the industrial foundations on which each track is built. Superbly engineered to neither be underwhelming or overpowering this combines with guitar heavy riffs and synth laden hooks to draw the listener into the harder tracks such as ‘Painkillers’ and ‘Kisses Taste Like Death’, while still giving the melodic numbers plenty of dark industrial character. Add in the gritty and occasionally haunting vocal performance from Chris Hall that can switch from heartfelt, thought provoking verses, to catchy choruses that I defy you to sing along to. Rise Again melds dark and distorted riffs with powerful industrial backing and smothers it with classic synth sounds to deliver a wonderfully layered listening experience that has a bucket load of replay value.
The Dreaming set out to recreate the sound that made their former band a success, but I truly believe they are doing a disservice to themselves as they stand tall as a band in their own right. Brimming with energy and oozing confidence they have done what few before them have achieved, and that is create a heavy rock industrial sound that is truly their own.
Rise Again is out now on Metropolis Records
Tracklisting:
1. Alone
2. Painkillers
3. Kisses Taste Like Death
4. Empty Promises
5. Afraid
6. Throw It Away
7. Still Believe
8. Blink Of An Eye
9. Destroy
10. Rise Again
- 8.99
