A MURDER OF CROWS

My introduction to Dead Soul Tribe was through an InsideOut brochure. I had been familiar with Psychotic Waltz, and was in love with it; so it aided me to get to know Dead Soul Tribe. Without further ado, I bring to you;

Lyrically, vocally, and for those I can't return;

Definately, Dead Soul Tribe carries a little piece from Psychotic Waltz; it is the similarity of the lyrical style. Though Devon Graves may have differentiated Buddy Lackey from his older self, both styles carry honesty, simplicity, extraordinary ways with words, and most of all, an unrestricted vocabulary; something that is missing in many others. Mostly, the more you listen to the words, you get captivated by the expressions, and find yourself stuck on a sentence or two from each song. Emotion captivates most of the songs of this album, and the lyrics appear to be morbid in any case. The songs all carry different meanings, and even when you grasp them, what you get is an amazement that advances further.

Devon Graves, as all things are with DST, doesn't carry much resemblence to his voice, the voice of Buddy Lackey. There is a similarity between them, without a doubt, but the similarity is minimal. He has a beautiful vocal performance across the album, soft like the wind, sharp like a knife, sad as a weeping willow, steady as a lawyer.

Musically, and for the crows on the wire;

Musically, I cannot compare Dead Soul Tribe to its ancestor, Psychotic Waltz. Though a similarity is there, its entirely different. Psychotic Waltz always carried a rather eerie, sharp and thin tune, whereas DST is quite "plushy"; large, and empty mostly, silent, but loud, smooth yet with a disturbed, blistering surface. There is a definite void forming in you when you listen to the drumming between prolonged chords or melodies.

Adel Moustapha has an extravagant performance on the drums, quite an extraordinary performance indeed. A bit similar to Mike Portnoy's is his style, keeping a steady rhythm while adding fast-paced attacks in between. The drums are the most dynamic element of DST's music.

The bass and the electric guitar follows a similar pattern that makes it sound more sophisticated than it actually may be, but they follow a steady harmony which makes it very much enjoyable. But the music is quite moving as well; mellow and slow, then harsh and fast, it carries the dynamic of "progressive", but not as heavily as other bands.

To sum up, if you're a progressive fan, this album is a must-have. If you just like metal music, give it a try, you won't be disappointed. If you're only a fan of music itself, give this a try and you'll be satisfied. In any case, its a great album, that all must have. But, if you're a hardcore Psychotic Waltz fan, don't expect a Psychotic Waltz-II.