Dead Soul Tribe - "The January Tree"

ProgMetalFan

In the attic
Jan 3, 2002
4,630
12
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PITTSBURGH
Wow! What a year for Devon Graves! First he plays a critical role as Agony on Ayreon's critically acclaimed "The Human Equation"... and now he unleashes this monster upon the metal masses!

This is Dead Soul Tribe's most ambitious and successful album to date. Devon's production is thick, meaty and also quite warm. The guitars are sharp and pummelling. Moustafa's drumming is all over the place... very unique and it gives the music a very percussive feeling. This is dark and brooding music performed at the highest level.
 
"January Tree marks the third release of Dead Soul Tribe, headed by ex-Psychotic Waltz singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Devon Graves. "Everything I write has a message, an approach to poetry," says Graves. "It’s the major function of poetry not to provide answers, but to raise questions - to be thought provoking and to create space for individual interpretations." Mixing dark industrial with metal and progressive rock, Dead Soul Tribe carries the listener further into the abyss of longing and fear with new tracks to make your soul shudder. This release will appeal to any connoisseur of music's dark side. "
 
Interestingly, I'm currently writing a review of the album for my page. :)
I second and third all your words... definitely Graves' best effort to date, which profits greatly from being stripped down to 50 minutes. Superb, intense songs with rock solid musicianship and production. "The Coldest Days of Winter" and "Toy Rockets" stand right next to "Some Things You Can't Return" in terms of sheer genius! Strong contender for the "#2 Album of the Year" award (#1 has got to be the new Ayreon... good year for Graves, though ;)).
 
I havent heard any of DST cept for clips from their site, but judging by those clips plus Devons AMAZING work on Human Equation.. I'm really interested in discovering this band.
 
The samples sound great, this band is so awesome. I saw their cd A Murder of Crows in the library, I picked it up because of the cool name. Excellent music, and what an AWESOME guitarsound.
 
I saw them live in Pratteln tonight and I was deeply impressed by their performance. I actually went there to see Threshold in the first place, but after this concert I have to say Threshold was pretty much outclassed by Devon and his band. Two things especially got my attention: The drumming was just incredible. The high toms Adel is using give some sort of "tribal feeling" which is quite different from every other metal band I've heard before. 2nd thing: Devon is an extremely charismatic guy with a very impressive voice, live even better than on CD. Incredible range, incredible power and a lot of "feeling". He completely controls the crowd. Not by saying a lot or joking around, but just with his appearance. A very special performance indeed. I hope I'll see them again soon!