If you have been waiting for the day that Fallout Boy meets metal, then you are in luck.
Dredg is a four-member band, including Gavin Hayes (vocals/guitar), Mark Engles (guitar), Drew Roulette (bass) and Dino Campanella (drums). Their first album, “Orph,” was self-released in 1997. Since then, Dredg has released three more albums, and signed with Interscope, from which their most recent and fourth album, “Catch Without Arms,” is released.
“Catch Without Arms” is a compilation of aggro-metal tunes comprised of lyrics about loss, discovering who you are, and a relationship gone sour. Sounds depressing, but Hayes’ strong, smooth vocals accompanied by the upbeat, unique instrumentals of his band mates add a sense of hope to the problems written about in the songs. Some of the slower songs, like “Planting Seeds” and “Not that Simple” give the listener’s ear a break and offer a chance to actually listen to the melancholy, yet beautiful, lyrics rather than the overpowering guitars and drums in the other tracks.
For example, in “Planting Seeds,” the opening line states “She’s to blame / I’ll erase routine / with a spark to ignite this flame / and end this struggle of guilt to tame.”
As if the songs on the album were not original enough, the drawings throughout the album cover live up to the uniqueness of the band. Instead of having their own faces covering the entire inside of the album, like most artists do today, the band included their own drawings of insects, birds (including a crying penguin), jellyfish, and other illustrations that cannot even be explained by someone just reviewing the album.
Some track titles are also not quite normal. Songs like “The Tanbark is Hot Lava,” “Bug Eyes,” and “Hung Over on a Tuesday” help add to the unique image Dredg has showcased to fans and critics.
Dredg’s unusual sound and image is refreshing in a world of overly-manufactured, everybody-is-the-same music industry. “Catch Without Arms” is a perfect opportunity to put down your iPods and actually buy this CD in the store.
Dredg is currently on tour in the United States, and will be in New York City on Nov. 16 and 17 at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square.
Give this song a second listen: “Hung Over on a Tuesday”
Our rating: 3.5 stars (out of five.)
