Etched in Blood

Dreaming | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dream Corpse Records (BCD Music Group)
• ASIN: B0019M82J4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,716 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without exaggeration, the best rock album of the decade., June 24, 2008

By 

Steve (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Etched in Blood (Audio CD)

The Dreaming is, hands-down, my favorite band of all time. And let me say that I'm a huge music fan who listens to a LOT of bands in many different styles.

I loved Christopher Hall's old band, Stabbing Westward, since the early 90s, and at the time I wouldn't have thought any band could top them. The Dreaming somehow does, though--every song on this album (as well as other songs they've released, which are available through their myspace page) is just ridiculously good--melodic, powerful, scathing, beautiful, expertly crafted, and tightly performed. The musicians work together tremendously well, and avoid both the nu metal trap of too-simple riffs and the shred metal trap of runaway egos. There are terrific guitar solos and other sophisticated musicians' flourishes throughout the album, but they blend so well with the energy and drive of the songs that one doesn't even notice them as distinct from the songs themselves. More satisfying and aurally pleasing than any punk album I've heard, more powerful and driving than any goth album I've heard, and more melodic and genuinely passionate than any metal album I've heard--this hand has NAILED the combination of styles like no one else. And Chris remains one of the absolute finest voices in rock, and his soaring choruses get me every time.

The album is even more remarkable when one considers how DIY this band is. The quality of mixing and mastering here is on par with the most expensively-produced albums I've heard, despite these guys doing this basically on their own.

Also, if you get a chance to see The Dreaming live, I have to say, DO. I saw these guys for my bachelor party recently, and I have to say, it was the coolest time I think I could have possibly had. The musicians themselves are incredibly friendly and down-to-earth, and spent time hanging out with us fans before and after the show. Chris even hauled me on stage at one point during the performance because I was wearing an old Stabbing Westward shirt.

Anyway: as Jon Stewart says, if you're a fan of joy, invest in this album. Absolutely the best release of the year.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good stuff. . .but, July 14, 2008

By 

Darioz Svabodas "Darioz" (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Etched in Blood (Audio CD)

The album is great, but I expected two other things given the song list on the band's web site: 1) the cover for the song "Send me an Angel"--people have mentioned this as a "hidden track" on the CD but I've played the CD several times and have never heard it, and 2) the acoustic version of the song "Crawl." I know this was not listed in the tracks but I was really hoping it was going to be included.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you liked Stabbing Westward and don't like this there is something wrong with you., September 10, 2008

By 

JP "ZappaFan" (Macon, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Etched in Blood (Audio CD)

While not as good as UnGod or the magnificent Darkest Days, it is on par with WBB&P and far superior to their medicore self-titled final release.

And I pretty much agree with M. Champlin's review so don't have anything else to add concerning the individual tracks.

If you liked ANY of the Stabbing Westward CDs, give this a try, I doubt you'll be disappointed!