Published on Sep 18, 1997
One of the most difficult things any new band has to do is try
to set themselves apart from others in the same genre. Some are
successful, others fail miserably. I have heard far too many demos
in all my time reviewing music that fell way short of the mark.
The ones that truly intrigue me are those that refuse to allow
themselves to be pigeonholed into any specific genre. Such is the
case with the New Jersey-based band Dread Motif; their mini-album
Love Songs From The Abyss does not neatly fit into any
specific musical category. What is interesting is that this both
helps and hurts them.
The four-piece band is led by vocalist David Emmets, whose
accent (which I can’t place) adds to the mystique of the band.
Guitarist Pierre is more of a minimalistic player; he’s not afraid
to show off his chops, but he seems more interested in guitar for
the band’s sake. Bassist Ken Hudak occasionally pops his head
through the mix; I would have preferred to hear him a little more.
And while drummer Scott Vicari shows he is a capable player, I
didn’t think there was quite enough snap in the drums in the
mix.
This isn’t meant as a criticism of the production job by the
band; actually, the quality of this recording impressed me to no
ends. But when you’re raising the energy levels to new highs like
on “Nothing Is Forever,” that extra kick may be what separates the
song from the others.
The album opens up strongly with “I Hate Her So Much,” which I
would have to call a fusion between hard rock and The Cure. In
fact, much of the album could be classified like this, due to the
pulsing beats throughout the five songs and the often
downward-looking lyrics. While you can’t help but reflect on a
lyric like “I hate her so much / It makes me live”, you also have
to appreciate the fact that the band can be artsy without taking it
over the top.
True, they come close on “She Draws Pictures Of The Devil In
Me,” but the strength of the track helps Dread Motif overcome this
potential slip. And they briefly slip once on “Distortion Clouds My
Mind” when describing the regrets of not performing, aaah, a “human
function” in space. However, the songwriting and performance helps
Dread Motif rise from these brief gaffes.
There are two weaknesses I can find with
Love Songs From The Abyss. First, like many demos I receive,
it’s far too short. When I am getting to know a band, I would
prefer to have as many tracks available to base a judgment on as if
I were listening to an established act. And while I appreciate the
fact that bands like Dread Motif are starting out and money may be
tight, it would be nice to be able to pronounce judgment based on
more than five songs.
Second, more often than not, it’s very hard to follow a true
rhythm track on the disc. There’s no question that these
indiviiduals are talented musicians, but I do admit to liking a
rhythm track that I can hear as well as tap my foot to. Vicari
needs to explore his hi-hat cymbals a little more often, and Hudak
needs to be brought out in the mix a little more. This point,
however, is just a personal preference.
Love Songs From The Abyss is a short listen – at just over
16 minutes, you’ll just have gotten settled in your comfy chair by
the time it ends. However, Emmets and crew successfully carve out
their own niche and genre in such a short time. It makes me look
forward to hearing what these guys can do on a full-length
disc.
The band may not neatly fit into any radio station format, but
they don’t seem to mind. Maybe for that reason, we all could be a
little better off.