A MURDER OF CROWS

I saw the CD of this album during my working trip to Bandung couple of weeks ago. Well, I knew the band from their later albums "The Dead Word" (2005) and "A Lullaby for The Devil" (2007) which both of them I like very much. I purchased the CD without further thinking at all because their two albums have proved me enough about the musical quality of the band. Since then, I played the CD many times in its entirety. For some reason, I do enjoy the music very much and I don't know why. I think I have played more than 20 spins and I still enjoy with no boringness at all. Lately, having spun the CD many times, I find why I do like the music of DeadSoul Tribe, especially this album. First, the music is basically (or I would say) most of them are riff-based and the band expand it further to become a song. A very good example to show what I mean here is the 6th track "Angels in Vertigo" which I believe it was created from riffs and then expanded with melody. Second, I love the dark nuance created by the band through Black Sabbath-influenced guitar riffs. Third, the use of flute in progressive metal music that reminds me to Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

For those who are new to the band, DeadSoul Tribe was founded in 2000 by Devon Graves, former member of Psychotic Waltz. A year later the debut album Deadsoul Tribe was released and proved to be a success with former Psychotic Waltz fans and beyond. Graves is the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music is both philosophical and challenging. Everything I write has a message, an approach to poetry, he says. It's the major function of poetry not to provide answers, but to raise questions - to be thought provoking and to create space for individual interpretations. Together with drummer Adel Moustafa, who also plays the drums on the records, the guitarist Roland `Rollz` Kerschbaumer and bass player Roland Ivenz, Deadsoul Tribe is known for their stirring stage performance. [official DsT site]. Devon made an original concept for Deadsoul Tribe in 1999 and he acted as Songwriter, Producer, Lead Guitar, Lead Vocalist, Overlord. His favorites range from Jethro Tull to Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Hendrix and Zappa.

It's best enjoyed if you play it in its entirety

Listening to this album is best to start from the beginning till the end, even until the bonus track as well. The opening track "Feed Part I: Stone by stone" (5:04) provides a warm welcome through a soft guitar riffs in basically slow moving music and it then moves in crescendo until musical break which brings in Devon Graves voice to enter with: A skeleton made of houses / Something out of the nothingness / Will be born / Asleep for a thousand years / Taking form / Stone by stone / Stone by stone . Oh what a nice intro, really. The strong point of this opening track is the chorus, despite its excellent riffs. The track moves smoothly to the next "Feed Part II: The awakening" (2:54) through the sound of flute. It's a very nice bridge. It does remind me to Jethro Tull especially the opening lyrical verse which relates me to the part of "Aqualung my friend .." of Aqualung. The bluesy guitar solo is also stunning and very very enjoyable.

"The messenger" (5:15) starts off with rainy nuance followed with nice riffs and vocal work.The riffs remind me to Black Sabbath in the seventies and the drumming style reminds me to Tool. We're Grieving tomorrow / Leaving our home for the circus life / It has to mean something / Could never mean more than its sacrifice .. what an excellent lyrical part, followed later with dynamic drumming on excellent riffs as background. It then moves nicely to "In a garden made of stones" (6:26) with guitar riffs that reminds me to Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. "Some things you can't return" (5:19) starts differently than other tracks, using a bass guitar as foundation with guitar fills built on top of it. The vocal work at the beginning is performed in "sigh" style, followed with soft screaming with long pitch. You will love the great guitar riffs produced by the next track "Angels in vertigo" (4:37) which really beautiful, combined with guitar melody and dynamic drumming to accentuate the song.

"Regret" (4:36) reminds me to the glory days of classic rock music in 70s especially through its opening riffs. But, the key element of this song is on its piano work and good rhythm section. "Crows on the wire" (6:47) brings the Black Sabbath nuance back to the music. The nice thing about the song is in its repeating riffs that lift up the thing. Devon's vocal work is at its thin voice and it flows nicely on top of excellent riffs. The excellent part of this song is when in the middle of the track there is a musical break with distanced voice singing. "I'm not waving" (5:34) continues the riff-based music with dynamic drumming like Tool. "Flies" (5:11) is in similar vein with previous one especially on the drumming part. "Black smoke an mirrors" (4:58) starts beautifully with acoustic guitar and ambient flute-work combined with dragging vocal line - it's a great opening and it represents different style compared to previous tracks. The guitar rhythm works perfectly and it becomes the trademark of the song. It's really an excellent track. The flute solo in the middle of the track reminds me to Jethro Tull. The bonus track "Time" (4:27) is also excellent.

To summarize, this is an excellent combination of riff-based music in the vein of Black Sabbath, accentuated with dynamic drumming like Tool and flute-work style of Jethro Tull. It cuts across generation from 70s to 2000. It's strongly recommended. Keep on proggin' .!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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