Ok, I’m going to gush for just a second here.
I freaking love this band. Atmospheric, dark, progressive, gorgeous, and all around well-thought-out, A Fair Dream Gone Mad feels honest, fresh, and unique.
Shades of radio rock here, metal there, acoustic rock here, and indie rock there… this band touches on many different categories of music. Without feeling as though they’re trying to do too much.
The musicianship here is top notch. The guitar is consistently playing gorgeous harmonies over the top of the smooth vocals. “Beneath these Falling Leaves” is a great track to listen to if you’d like to hear the musicianship of the band.
There are hints of jazz in the guitar here and there. While the guitar work and vocals are gorgeous, the band rocks a very aggressive drummer. It works here. He brings the music together and makes it feel consistently heavy, even if the guitar work is often the type of soft “dark rock” that can be seen at times in some softer Tool/A Perfect Circle records.
This is a very accessible band, and I could see them popping up on major tours throughout the country. “All the Pieces” is a track that will get you moving. With a beautiful guitar riff over chugging guitar and heavy drums, this track takes me back to the 90’s when I listened to the old Finger Eleven and Mushroomhead albums.
In fact, old Finger Eleven may be the closest comparison. The dark music, the somber vocals, but the accessibility all leads to a really enjoyable listen.
Big time A here, and I can’t wait to see what direction this group heads.
--The Professor
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