CATCH WITHOUT ARMS

I've realized that some people, who know this band and their praised masterpiece "El Cielo" are disappointed with this excellent cd. It's true that they lost some weight, but the brilliant, sometimes decent poppy melodies on this (still) progressive record make a additional plus to their overall sound IMO. The hunting melodies in the unbelievable strong "Bug Eyes" you won't get out of your head after some listening, like some other very memorable moments on this record. But slow in order:

"Ode To The Sun" is a very accesible opening song, with a hunting refrain and excellent guitar work. The lyric of this great start will stay in your head for long time if you let it near you. On the backcover of the cd you can see, that this album is separated in two different parts: "Perspective I" and "Perspective II". This wonderful opening track is the start shot of "Perspective I". Track rating: 9/10

"Bug Eyes" is so beautiful, that I can't describe it with some words. The amazing intro catches you with an strong riff, guide you through a tear-stealing verse into one of the most memorable refrains of this record. I saw the video of this song on MTV Rockzone by zapping and it catched me like only few other tracks in this style. This track blew me away! The part of minute 2.36 'til minute 3.00 remind me very on Porcupine Tree and should be heard specially by those, who are fans of them. Brilliant song and one of my favourite songs this year! Track rating: 10/10

"Catch Without Arms" the title track is light like a feder and is a very good use for a dance on the carpet, not proggy but excellent and very anthemic, but not as good as the previous two songs. That song can stay in your head for days though. Track rating: 8/10

"Not That Simple" begins with a nice guitar intro in the vein of U2 and with decent Pink Floydish guitar underlines and got a hunting chorus, which is another winner of the record. If you like U2, than this will be found food for you. Track rating: 8.5/10

"Zebraskin" got a bit fusion in the verses and a poppy refrain, with nice guitar underlines but isn't part of my favourite songs on this album, even in fact it's all in all more progressive than the previous songs. Still a good song without doubt. Track rating: 7/10

"The Tanbark Is Hot Lava" is the heaviest song of the album, with good verses and great guitar work. The refrain part is once more hunting and memorable. This is more a straight metal song, but I am fond of that and enjoy it very much. Track rating: 8.5/10

"Sang Real" is a rythmic ballad with a good refrain and nice piano. This songs is relaxing and not spectacular, but fits as a unusual arranged quiet piece in the middle of this record. That was the perfect ending of "Perspective I". Track rating: 8/10

"Planting Seeds" is the start shot of "Perspective II" and begins with a dreamy guitar melody and you will feel very well in the warm melodies of the nice refrain, which is part of a great song and a shining moment full with beautiful parts. Track rating: 9/10

"Spitshine" is in a similar mood than the previous song, with another good refrain, this time the guitar comes a bit heavier after two minutes and is a another good song for a sunshine day. But the structures of this one are for my taste too easy and in the instrumental passages too similar with the previous song. But all in all another good one, but nothing really special. Track rating: 7.5/10

"Jamais Vu" is as a single track not very spectacular, but with nice melodies and as a part of the whole album a addition that makes it more rich. But not under the category of my faves of this album. Good, but not more and not less. Track rating: 7/10

"Hung Over On A Tuesday" is the hardest song on "Perspective II" and got in the mid-part some breaks which are in the vein of a prog metal song and includes one of the best guitar solos on this record. A song that which makes out the new style of Dredg and shows their talents as compositional institution in the modern prog music scene. Track rating: 8.5/10

"Matroshka (The Ornament)" is the official closing track of the record and fits as the ending part with it's U2-styled guitar melodies, hunting verses and refrain, also nice piano playing in the ending part, which remind me somehow on one of Peter Gabriel's quiet songs. Really a perfect song to end this great album! Track rating: 9.5/10

There is a bonus track on the European cd version called "Uplifting News", which I won't review, because it's a bonus and isn't a single part of the album and not representative for the record at all. I must say one: It's a good straight song, but is quite forgettable and not a good finish for the album, but a nice bonus though.

All in all I am very impressed by this cd, it got some really awesome songs and some very few downs, but holds up the flag as one of the highlights of the year and should be interesting for open prog-listeners, who aren't afraid of some mainstream-oriented parts. In a melodic aspect, "Catch Without Arms" is more deep and mature than "El Cielo", is by far less complex but in a compositional and own way better and more self-controlled.

Dredg are a creative modern prog band, who combinate avant-garde with mainstream rock (without being mainstream) on "Catch Without Arms" and really deserve attention for their great songwriting and unique sound. They found their own charismatic style with this record and got with Gavin Hayes a great singer, who can sing with a deepness, which isn't very often today and a guitarist with a unique style of playing guitar. One of these very few bands, who lead the prog scene of these days into the future, without sounding dated or cold.

Record rating: 9 + 10 + 8 + 8.5 + 7 + 8.5 + 8 + 9 + 7.5 + 7 + 8.5 + 9.5 = 100.5 / 12 = 8.375 points = 8.5/10 points

Dredg - "Catch Without Arms": 8.5/10 points = 84 % on MPV scale = 4/5 stars

point-system: 0 - 3 points = 1 star / 3.5 - 5.5 points = 2 stars / 6 - 7 points = 3 stars / 7.5 - 8.5 points = 4 stars / 9 - 10 points = 5 stars

Excellent addition to any prog music collection.