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Written
by Daniel Boyer, posted by blog admin
Dust
of Days’ second full length studio album, Analog Mind Bender, greatly expands
on the possibilities hinted at on their debut release, Thomas & Grace, and
its EP successor Ethers and Embers. Frank Lettieri Jr.’s songwriting, already
quite solid, has been deepened by his response to personal tragedy and the new
territory he’s pushed himself into has an obviously inspiring effect on his
band mates, particularly guitarists Jim McGee and Mike Virok, and results in
their most memorable work yet as a band. Bassist Scott Silvester rounds out the
lineup and he forms a mammoth rhythm section with Lettirei’s drumming. The alt
rock muscle they flex on this release is cast in the best possible light by
warm, visceral production that keeps the music in your face throughout the
entirety of the release, but knows how to handle the genuine nuance present in
more than a few of these songs.
The
title track memorably begins the album. Despite the title “Analog Mind Bender”,
the title song has a traditional slant and is very much cut from an alt rock
cloth. McGee and Virok whip up a raucous guitar attack that’s adorned with
understated touches of color. Despite the familiarity heard in their approach,
Dust of Days manage to distinguish themselves from the pack thanks to small but
significant brushstrokes like the chiming guitar fill recurring throughout the
song. “Aurora” mixes straight forward vocals with talking during the verses,
but outside of that, this is probably much closer to a pure metal stomper than
alternative rock track. The rhythm section of Lettieri and Silvester come
across mammoth here. The first indication we get on the album that the band can
vary their presentation comes with the song “Mustang”. There’s a strong Chris
Cornell influence in the song’s vocals and the moody arrangement is ideal for
the song’s lyrics. The best pure riffer on Analog Mind Bender, “Heavy”, shows
off that same Soundgarden influence, but no one will get the feeling that the
band is actively seeking to imitate them. Great bands and artists filter their
influences through their own experiences and personality rather than merely regurgitating
the poses of those more talented.
“My
Dear” is another moody gem. The band shows exquisite patience developing it
over its four minutes, particularly with the guitars. McGee and Virok’s playing
seems to ebb and flow throughout the piece, swelling in volume, then retreating
back into shadow. The beautifully mournful lead guitar lines make a tremendous
difference here and elevate the performance several notches. Silvester’s
relentless bass gives “The Circus” a fierce pulse from the first and the band
soon unleashes their most ferocious rock attack yet on the album. There are
definitely punk and extreme metal influences running through this one, but it’s
once again uniquely reflected through their individual consciousness in a fresh
and inventive way. The album’s penultimate track is an excellent final example
of how the band regularly pushes the envelope and challenges listeners
preconceptions about Dust of Days’ music. “The Shore” is a piano driven piece
with artful vocals, a muted tone, and even some strings bringing a fine lyrical
touch to the work. This is not your run of the mill alt rock/metal band. Dust
of Days is aiming for posterity writing and recording albums this ambitious and
they have the talent on hand to make it work.
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