Dreadnought - Bridging Realms

#FOR FANS OF: Folk/Progressive

Dreadnought (from Denver, Colorado) is one of those bands that defies easy description — but that's a good thing. 'Bridging Realms' is the band’s second release and their first full-length album. Although there are only five songs on this album, each one is epic in scope. The title of the third song, “Minuet De Lune” (Dance of the Moon or Month) somehow brought what meager snippets of junior high school French I’ve retained rushing back to the fore, as it would properly be titled “Minuet De Lune”. It tweaked my last nerve only because this band is so prodigiously literate musically that I found that misnomer distracting. Normally, I tend to dissect each release I review song by song, with an in-depth analysis of a select few. In this instance I will only provide an overview — as this is music so diverse that words truly cannot do it justice. Cliché as though it may sound, it remains nonetheless true that this is a work which must be personally experienced by each listener to be fully and truly appreciated. The music varies in some parts between an almost dissonant acid jazz interplay between guitar, drums, bass, keys and flute to heavy guitar. The comparison here to Jethro Tull is inevitable when the flute enters into counterplay with the rhythm section during jazzy interludes, while the heavier parts seem an homage to the best Mastodon sludge. Vocally, this is an extremely diverse work. This release ranges stylistically from 'Grace Slick' in early Jefferson Airplane to classic Yes-like melodies, to harmonies which could have come straight from a medieval Gregorian chorale — all the way to almost incidental death metal vocals. This is a musical work meant to be experienced holistically—in its entirety. If you’re a fan of progressive rock, metal or psychedelic rock you'll find something enjoyable and exciting to immerse yourself in on this release. Fans of any type of rock or metal need to give at least one uninterrupted and undistracted listen to this work. For the truly diehard fan of music, get yourself a copy of this on vinyl. Doing so will allow you to fully appreciate all the genre-transcendent nuances Dreadnought has seamlessly woven into 'Bridging Realms'. (Bob Szekely)

(Self - 2015)

Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband

Lifewoven - Dreadnought

#FOR FANS OF: Black Jazz Progressive

Dreadnought is a Denver (CO) band that can best be described as psychedelic jazz/prog-metal fusion. Between frequent drum rim shots and ride cymbal, odd time signatures, clear vocal harmonies that at first hearken to Jon Anderson and Chris Squire in Yes which in the next second they morph into something far more tense and foreboding. Classic rock influences poke their heads though occasionally and briefly--with organ textures reminiscent of Keith Emerson and Jon Lord (Hammond B3) making furtive cameos. Flute melodies on top of power chords meld into sections with black metal vocals which segue into instrumentals leaning into prog-rock territory when suddenly, trumpet solos erupt. Lifewoven can be reflective and jazzy with rock undercurrents one moment and with demonic vocal howls overlaying the song the next. For listeners who like progressive and jazzy elements mixed with rock and metal, I suggest you give this a try. I've yet to find anything quite like this, but it does grow on you. The musicianship is top notch, as the members of Dreadnought take you on emotional and mental voyage, as they explore elements of multiple genres with each song movement, while making the synthesis and evolution of each song somehow sound natural. There are five songs on this release, each with a single-word title: "Nascence", "Lift", "Deluge", "Utopia", "Immolate" and "Renaissance". The shortest song, "Immolate" clocks in at just under five minutes, the longest, "Deluge" at almost thirteen-and-a-half. A lot of emotions and feelings are explored on "Lifewoven". It's a musical journey that is well worth taking. (Bob Szekely)

(Self - 2013)
Score: 90

https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband