CONSCIOUS

dredg's first release is this EP entitled "Conscious". It contains just four tracks and lasts just over 14 minutes. This is a dredg sound that won't be what you expect from their full-length albums. Musically, it sounds most similar to the "Orph" EP, released about a year later. The sound is heavy, based mainly around guitar riffs. The vocals also differ from dredg's later sound. Gavin screams the nihilistic lyrics angrily at the top of his lungs, and occasionally even raps for a little while.. The album is good, but it will show you why dredg is listed under Crossover Prog. Their early EPs aren't very progressive, but still a good listen for dredg fanatics. If you are a big fan of dredg and want more, definately try to get your hands on this elusive bugger, but if you're just a casual dredg fan get all of their studio albums before you decide weather or not to acquaint yourself with the 90's version of dredg. All in all, a solid first release from this California quartet.

Well?I am not sure to have listened to much prog music while listening to this first "dREDG" EP. As far as I am concerned, it is very, very close to heavy metal (some might say "prog" metal).

I won't discuss about the production; but these short songs (except one) sound really coming out of some garage. But they were no garage band (in a garage land; for those of you who remember those famous lyric lines).

Actually, there are little differences between the songs. Furious beat, weak vocals, lack of writing skills and much, too much heavy metal stuff in here. Exclusively should I say? Since this genre is not quite my cup of tea, I can't really rate this work quite high. Two stars? Let's say that it is really the maximum rating in my books.

The only diversity (and not too much to tell the truth) is depicted during "Juggernaut". But gosh! These vocals (shouts would be a more adequate term) are quite unpleasant and are somewhat ruining the feel around this song.

This is quite an early E.P. release from dredg which approaches black metal more that it approached progressive rock. It sounds nothing like what dredg would sound like later. I don't consider this a terrible album, but it's only relation to progressive rock is that they were attempting to provide a heavy sound that also had some progressive structure to it. The songs are kind of same-y with a lot of rap, growling vocals and not much else. The best track is "Juggernaut" which at least holds some hope of the great dredg sound that was to come later.

Like I said, this is not a bad album. The drums sound somewhat like toy drums almost, but the guitar hooks are great. It is to the album's benefit that it is an E.P. though, because by the time the last track plays, you are ready to say, "I've heard enough now" because there isn't much in the way of versatility here. But at least it is interesting to hear how this excellent band got started. Hard to believe that they would produce the amazing albums that would follow later.

Ok so this one is probably considered a collectors item, but don't expect any more value out of it than that. Fans will definitely appreciate it and so will most black metal fans. 2 stars.