Album Review: "Death Angel" by Dreadlords

Death Angel

The best thing about running this little blog is when I get to hear something that's totally unlike anything else in this world.

And that is just what I'm listening to today.

This album features Blues and Americana.

Both of these genres are having rebirths the likes of which most people never saw coming. Pokey LaFarge, The Decemberists, and hell even Robert Plant are playing Americana and Blues.

Today's review subjects hail from Pennsylvania and come from two different bands, T.O.M.B. and Panther Modern.

 The Dreadlords are Brian Zimmerman on banjo, Samantha Viola on drums, bells, and other ritual instruments, and J. Gannon on vocals. Really, it's a strange line up of instruments for some very strange music.

Dreadlords

Like much of the music today that's based in the Blues there's an element of the music that sounds like it was lifted from the Doors' record, Morrison Hotel.

But there is absolutely nothing on this album that was borrowed, lifted, taken, or influenced by the Doors.

It's kind of amazing.

This brooding record was recorded in glorious Lo-Fi and sounds like a dark, bluesy record should.

Slow and low. Switching from freight train 4/4 meters to a snail's pace keeps the listener waiting for the breakout that's not coming.

Where this album succeeds is the seething anger that bubbles over just below the songs. Just behind the drums. It only surfaces a handful of times on the record.

The rest of the time is spent waiting for the collective to explode and drip with glorious anger, but the wait continues.

Release: 12/8/14
Genre: Blues
Label: Not Just Religious Music
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