Metal Reviews

I'm not a smoker (but I have bummed a fag, har har har), and I don't play on starting, but I imagine that Dredg's El Cielo is the musical equivalent of having a ten hour long, stressful day at work (another thing I can only imagine) and then flolloping onto a chair in a park and lighting up a cigarette. My usual musical diet normally consists of extremely intense music - either dramatically, a la Tool, Devin Townsend or Neurosis, or just in terms of tempo/rhythm, a la The Dillinger Escape Plan or Behold... The Arctopus. Dredg's El Cielo is pretty much the polar opposite of this; Dredg use their extraordinary talent at creating atmospheres to pacify, rather than making you want to rip your face off.

It all starts with Gavin Hayes's voice, which I'll just straight off say is beautiful. I'd even go so far to say that even if the rest of the band had no clue what they were doing, he could still carry this album into the "decent" category. But the rest of the band do know what they're doing, and that is where the fun begins. Using a laid back songwriting style that ebbs and flows casually between musical ideas, beautiful tones on their instruments, and subtle layering, manipulating, and sampling of sounds the band accentuates Gavin Hayes's voice perfectly. The end result is hard to describe, its not really ambitious enough for "prog", far too relaxing for the "alternative", and too damn good to be classified under the pedestrian, adjectiveless "rock". Either way it is beautiful and it is relaxing, thats all you really need to know.

But..butbutbut: It's not perfect. Yes, it wipes my mind clean of stress and improves my mood every time I listen to it. Yes, they are probably the most relaxing band of all time, minus Minus the Bear (har har har...). But they lack depth, also a similarity to Minus the Bear, for those who care (I'm rhyming now beeotch). While with other albums that I consider amazing, godlike, masterpieces, I can listen to them over and over again and stll find new little shifts and swivles in the songs; slowly unfolding their true majesty to me. But El Cielo doesn't, the songs are pretty basic, you can absorb them in a few listens, and it just overall lacks the ambition that quite possibly could have elevated it to the status of one of my favourite albums.

Despite this I'd still recommend it to people who are interested in music. It sounds real purty and makes yer mind happeh.

I love you too, Jeff.



What in the fuck is up with everything being "emo"? What is this fascination?

This is supposed to be a shout-out thread, right? So...

Kathaarian - Mate, you have single-handedly changed my opinion of much of the Muslim world. You enrich this forum like Ahmadinejad on a day out at the Uranium factory. Your superior knowledge of the Metal acts as an inspiration to us all. Yestersday, someone pointed at one of your posts and asked who that was. I replied 'the reincarnation of Jesus Christ'. They gave me a funny look and walked on quickly, but in my eyes you are that and more.

Radagast - You may be a Scotch barbarian, and have a ridiculously silly sense of humour, but despite that you hold a large place in my heart. When I see a dinosaur now, I do not turn and flee, but approach with courage and valour. Your ways have influenced my musical tastes beyond possible measure, and it is because of you that I now snigger whenever I see Sean Bean.

Carnifex - Not for nothing were you voted the Sexiest Poster on the forum! You act as that ethereal presence that reminds us big hairy brutes that not all in the world is hatred and despair, by shining your sunny disposition and generally cheerful outlook on us. We worship you, Princess, and are your joyful slaves.

Noodles - It is beyond my intelligence to determine how you still act with patience towards those cowards that insist on name-calling and insulting you. I salute you, and congratulate you on your pliable girlfriend, with her pretty eyes. People like you are to be the building blocks of our future glorious society, and the sooner you begin to breed and pass on your valuable DNA to the next generation the safer the world will be for all of us.

Eyesore - What can be said that has not already been? You are our musical maven, our expert on all things aural, as well as the father who watches our beloved land of Latt'm. We pray that you continue to guide our hands in the correct path, and forgive us any trespasses that come about through lack of knowledge. May the widows and orphans continue to merit cover under the shelter of your baggy trousers, and the destitute take pleasure from your all-encompassing hand.