In just a few short years and two full-length releases Dredg have been able to secure themselves a coveted position among other current prog-rock greats such as The Deftones, Tool, and Radiohead. Casting aside their early rap-metal niche in favor of a more promising and creative outlet, the four-piece crafted two of the more memorable albums in recent times. Leitmotif and El Cielo both featured sounds not commonly heard to most ears. The aural landscape was vast and overwhelming, drowning the listener in a wave of shimmering guitar riffs, viscous low-end, punctual percussion, bleach-clean vocals, and the occasional singularly oddly placed, random (though in the end essential) instrument. Interludes and instrumental breakdowns were common fare throughout both journeys. Though, instead of retracting from the overall flow of the opus', they were key pieces to the puzzle the men had planned to the point that one feels almost required to listen to them start to finish.Those already familiar with Dredg's past work will notice a stark contrast to their former days. Though musically the album will sound customary to the well-prepared, there is definitely something very obviously missing. Namely in their trademark segways. While they have successfully combined the energy of their debut with the expanse of their followup with flying colors, much could be said about the lack of demanding intellectual and emotional involvement present. Whether or not this is due to label pressure for a more easily digestible product or was of their own volition, "Catch Without Arms" feels much more streamlined. Even though some of their strongest and most potent work is represented here ("Ode To The Sun", "Bug Eyes", and "Tanbark") one cannot help but feel that something has changed. And sometimes change is not a good thing.
There were high hopes lain upon the shoulders of one of the most promising bands currently on the scene. And for a band that never seemed to disappoint, Dredg have sadly done just that. While they may have produced a more focused and accessible sound on this outing that may garner them some additional financial reward, they have also taken away so much of what made them so propitious in the first place. The only thing left to do is hope that this is just one of their expertly crafted segues into more prosperous territory.
(3.5/5)
-RaiNny
hk_newbie said...
it was good, but certainly no El Cielo