Keys To Enlightenment

Dream Shmashers inCorporated is a registered group of young headbashers from Finland, who have their work cut out for them in combining different styles. Riffs and beats often border between death metal and thrash while riffs often have either a modern thrash feel, or an off-beat rhythmic quality found in some of the oddball prog metal groups of the new millennium. I’d say the progressive leanings are quite minimal. Melodic leads and clean intros bring the ting of traditional metal to the table.

The vocal work of guitarist/bassist Matias Autio is a mixed bag. When growling and doing harsh singing in low registers, he’s doing well and the words have power behind them. The clean/semi-clean vocals need practise as they have difficulties staying in pitch quite often. The rhythmic side is in good form, a little bit of groove was what I would have liked more.

The songs range from the modern death metal leanings of the title track to the melodic, slightly rocking hooks of Weakest Link. The final song, Shapeless, has great growling work behind it that reminds me a bit of Corpsegrinder of the almighty Cannibal Corpse. In the end, there is a hidden cover song of our national tango, Satumaa, done in a more electronic, nintendo-keyboards-meet-humppa -style with added doomy vocals, and I find this cover highly entertaining.

The production borders on an OK level. The guitars and bass are represented nicely but the drums are buried occasionally into an indistinctive slapping. The vocals may be a bit too high in the mix and they seem distorted in a peculiar way from time to time. I don’t know if it’s a digital effect or the natural voice, but it doesn’t sound right.

The songs have good ideas, melodies and definite potential. A lot of work for the cleaner vocals and more emphasis for the production job and we are talking more business right off the bat.