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Topic ClosedDeluge Grander Vs. Cerebus Effect
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Poll Question: The band/sound most to your liking?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
6 [85.71%]
1 [14.29%]
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avestin View Drop Down
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Deluge Grander Vs. Cerebus Effect
    Posted: May 04 2007 at 16:29
Two bands with Dan Britton (keyboards, guitars and vocals) and Patrick Gaffney (drums) with two different sounds.
CE was given a name Canterbury Metal which isn't too good of a description, but can give a rough (very rough) guide.
You can read my review of Acts of Deception here if you wish:
and Erik's review:
And Dieter's review:
 
CE released one album (Acts of Deception), one EP (Dark Matter) and a live show (Live At Orion) not in that order...
 
 
 
DG can be said to be Symphusion, but in any case it is much more of a symphonic rock and JRF oriented band. Sounds that may bring up symphonic prog bands from the past, but no clone effect (for me at least).
My review for August In The Urals:
And others review of it are here: http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=13534
 
 

 
While being different, I still hear the sounds and ways of compositions that link those two together.
 
Both albums recommended, by the way.
 
Tell us your impressions of both.
 
 
EDIT - by the way there is a new Dan Britton project called Birds and Buildings that has new songs and while having some difficulties in recordings should release its first album this year. The following is taken from the DG website:
"November 22, 2006:  Also newsworthy is that Dan the keyboardist and occasional guitarist (ie me) has been playing with a new group in the DC area to be entitled "Birds and Buildings."  Most of the composition for the first album is done, and recording will start in December 2006.  There's also a very good chance that the group will do some live work.  The group also has Malcolm McDuffie on drums, Dustin Swanson on bass, and Brian Falkowski on saxes and other windy instruments."

 

 




Edited by avestin - May 04 2007 at 16:33
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Points: 9008 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2007 at 16:35
Deluge Grander is my favorite from the 2. Their sound is more cohesive and there are better passages in their album. One of the things that I really enjoyed was that don't copy 70's bands like the 90's and 00's symphonic bands I've experienced (without counting Morte Macabre of course)

EDIT:  Even though they disbanded it's good to see the legacy still moving on with that new project, but why did they disbanded in the first place?



Edited by chamberry - May 04 2007 at 16:39

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Points: 912 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2007 at 18:54
This is a great poll. I had to vote for Deluge Grander though, for their unique beauty and their emotional influence on me. I listened to Cerebus Effect first and found them immediately appealing because I wasn't expecting such an interesting mix of styles. I particularly liked the permanent tension between the light-hearted playfulness conveyed by the keys combined with the jazz/rock rhythm section (probably the Canterbury reference alludes to that general mood, although I think it's a little forced) and the metal riffing and solos that pop up frequently, bringing in some necessary weight/gravity. Although it appealed to me on first listen, there isn't a particular moment on the album that really stuck to me. Very quirky, intense music, covering different grounds, but it didn't prove to have that "haunting" character.
The story was completely different with Deluge Grander. The first two (no, three) listens went past me like background music (I blame the context) and all I could make out was that there was a lot going on, but I obviously needed more careful listening to swallow the whole thing. I had read all these great reviews and I already liked Cerebus Effect, so I persisted. When I finally took time to listen in a relaxed, introspective mood, it absorbed me completely. I'm usually put off by excessive use of keyboards, especially if it means Mellotron, Moog, Fender Rhodes, some synth and other stuff all crammed up in a single piece that takes twenty minutes to finish. Well, I'm not sure I can fully explain why, but with DG I was conquered and I would have made the tracks last even longer if I could. The music, again, is very dense - busy playing on the part of all instruments, shifting time signatures, plus these constant changes of keyboards, which can make details harder to recognize and listen to. However, there is such an abundance of melodies creeping up from beneath this density that once you notice them you have to follow their trace and the subtleties of the music are revealed. I was impressed by the fluidity of the tracks - themes don't really come to an end and stop so that another theme can begin, but rather morph into one another and within short minutes inside a track you're already far away from where you started, although there hasn't been any abrupt change. This is one thing I found extremely rewarding, along with the richness of melody. The drums and bass still resemble Cerebus Effect, in that they keep playing jazzy, dynamic patterns (the best thing they could have chosen to preserve from CE, in my opinion). I also found the vocals to be appealing and suiting the context, whereas in CE I thought they were sometimes unnecessary and detracting from the purpose of the instrumental track. Here, they add warmth over the already dreamy keyboard textures (the title track is probably the best example). The two completely instrumental tracks at the end of the album are also beautiful and very evocative. It's a great album to listen to when you're alone with your thoughts - it can have a great mood-enhancing effect. Smile
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Points: 912 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2007 at 18:57
By the way, which one do you prefer, Assaf? I know you were pretty enthusiastic about both.
The new project should be at least as interesting if they follow the same trend of doing something significantly different from year to year.
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2007 at 19:26
Originally posted by Uroboros Uroboros wrote:

This is a great poll. I had to vote for Deluge Grander though, for their unique beauty and their emotional influence on me. I listened to Cerebus Effect first and found them immediately appealing because I wasn't expecting such an interesting mix of styles. I particularly liked the permanent tension between the light-hearted playfulness conveyed by the keys combined with the jazz/rock rhythm section (probably the Canterbury reference alludes to that general mood, although I think it's a little forced) and the metal riffing and solos that pop up frequently, bringing in some necessary weight/gravity. Although it appealed to me on first listen, there isn't a particular moment on the album that really stuck to me. Very quirky, intense music, covering different grounds, but it didn't prove to have that "haunting" character.
The story was completely different with Deluge Grander. The first two (no, three) listens went past me like background music (I blame the context) and all I could make out was that there was a lot going on, but I obviously needed more careful listening to swallow the whole thing. I had read all these great reviews and I already liked Cerebus Effect, so I persisted. When I finally took time to listen in a relaxed, introspective mood, it absorbed me completely. I'm usually put off by excessive use of keyboards, especially if it means Mellotron, Moog, Fender Rhodes, some synth and other stuff all crammed up in a single piece that takes twenty minutes to finish. Well, I'm not sure I can fully explain why, but with DG I was conquered and I would have made the tracks last even longer if I could. The music, again, is very dense - busy playing on the part of all instruments, shifting time signatures, plus these constant changes of keyboards, which can make details harder to recognize and listen to. However, there is such an abundance of melodies creeping up from beneath this density that once you notice them you have to follow their trace and the subtleties of the music are revealed. I was impressed by the fluidity of the tracks - themes don't really come to an end and stop so that another theme can begin, but rather morph into one another and within short minutes inside a track you're already far away from where you started, although there hasn't been any abrupt change. This is one thing I found extremely rewarding, along with the richness of melody. The drums and bass still resemble Cerebus Effect, in that they keep playing jazzy, dynamic patterns (the best thing they could have chosen to preserve from CE, in my opinion). I also found the vocals to be appealing and suiting the context, whereas in CE I thought they were sometimes unnecessary and detracting from the purpose of the instrumental track. Here, they add warmth over the already dreamy keyboard textures (the title track is probably the best example). The two completely instrumental tracks at the end of the album are also beautiful and very evocative. It's a great album to listen to when you're alone with your thoughts - it can have a great mood-enhancing effect. Smile
 
Great post Clap  Again, you manage to write a review without effort. And you practically wrote some of my thoughts on the album as well.
 
I don't have a real preference (you konw me, I hate to choose...), but I reserve each albums for a different time, mood, occasion, etc.
As for consistency, I'd say August In The Urals has the advantage vs. Acts Of Deception. As for innovation, they're both in the same level, with a slight advantage I am giving to CE...
As for enjoying the music - well, for me it's two different experiences, one more dynamic, thrilling and engaging; the other rich in sound that carries me away, soft (most of the time) and one that you need your attention kept upon to be able to follow it (although after several listens I knew it pretty well, so it needed less of that).
 
Two albums that should get more attention definitely.
Looking forward to that new project.
 
 
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