Customer Reviews

January Tree

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having been tepidly appreciative of Deadsoul Tribe's sophomore effort, A Murder of Crows, I decided to pick up their junior release, The January Tree a few days ago and that was a great move if I do say so myself.

For me Deadsoul Tribe's strength is that they remind me of Tool, one of my favorite bands. They have a dark morose sound and lyrics, a similar disjointed, syncopated style, a heavy stop and go drum and guitar beat with unusual melodies, somewhat de-emphasizing the vocals for the sake of the strong instrumentation. That's not to say that, as a singer, Graves doesn't have his moments. He has a pleasant mid to high pitched voice and a decent style that together, with echo chambers and dual tracks, happens to compliment the music.

For those familiar with Tool, you know that the music is all but impossible to describe except in generalities, as is Deadsoul Tribe. The first six tracks from "Spiders And Flies" to "Toy Rockets" have a feel strongly reminiscent of Maynard James Keenan, either Tool or A Perfect Circle, except track five "The Coldest Day of Winter". "Spiders And Flies" and "The Love of Hate" feature heavy bass drums and a crunchy guitar throughout. "Sirens" starts with a little jazzy guitar intro, then settles in but finishes with a slow ethereal ending, on "Why" we have more crunchy guitars and heavy drums but it slows down in the middle and Graves is accompanied by an acoustic guitar building to a cresendo.

"Wings of Faith", my personal favorite, has a snappy medium fast beat but is sung at half speed. It also features at least one or two female background singers, a nice touch. "Toy Rockets" is similar to most of the songs except it features a flute, another nice touch.

While I'm not yet quite ready to describe, The January Tree as 'sensational', after only a few listens, it is nonetheless, a very strong effort, warranting a five star rating.

If you have never heard of these guys or know little of them, I suspect that is about to change!

Batmaz is ABSOLUTELY correct when he said that Devon is not only just a vocalist, but is a "modern poet" who hasn't been noticed by hardly anyone in the modern rock scene. I wish there was a way to put "Just Like a Timepiece" on pop radio in its entirety and chain people to their chair and force them to listen. After hearing even this ONE song's captivating melody and song structure, I bet people would wake up just a LITTLE BIT.

This entire album functions as a continuous whole, with one theme broken up into different yet similar components. If you listen to A Murder of Crows (DST's second album, for all those unfamiliar with it) you will see a similar theme presented in more of a raw sense. This album could almost be plugged right on the end of that album to make a continuos stream of hypnotic "music." By putting this in quotes, I mean that this is a modern ART creation that paints pictures in your head and entrances you with the lyrics. The line "Their vessels lined upon the shelves, yet empty every one" really spoke loudly to me in terms of actual theme of this disc.

In summary, this album is a must have for EVERYBODY, even the 'gangstas' and 'dance divas' This is an experiance that will open your eyes if you just give it a chance. This would probably be the top album release of the year in my opinion.

It's always a challenging task to follow up your previous album, especially if it was such a great success among the prog community and garnered a lot of critical acclaim on various webzines and magazines. A Murder of Crows was an awesome record and my curiousity was piqued when I heard Devon Graves had already started composing his third Dead Soul Tribe CD -- The January Tree.

The lyrics I mentioned in my subject line is the main chorus of the third track on the album, "The Love of Hate". I know this is a bizarre way of starting a review but I believe the melody line Devon Graves came up on this track may be one of his best in his entire career. No exaggeration here, I've heard (almost) everything he's done so far and I have to point out the vocal melody on this track is unbelievable. In fact 98% of the melodies he created here are amazing, you've never heard him sing the way he sings on The January Tree. This record is a logical continuation of the philosophical AMOC, but it has more character and a more homogeneous overall feel. Even though it may be too early to pass judgement yet, I think The January Tree is going to be my favourite DST of the three. I really enjoy it a lot.

Given the lyrics on this disc, to say that Devon Graves is merely a "lyricist" would be daft. Graves is a modern "poet" whose art has yet to be discovered by most rock/metal fans. What's more is his lyrics make a lot more sense and are more effective when heard within the context of the song. Devon Graves has always had the idea of singing soft melodies over really heavy riffs and he utilises this idea to the best of his advantage on The January Tree. About all the songs here are very riff-based, the kind of riffs that are played very much to the point but are available throughout the entire disc. What Devon does is find the soft vocal harmonies and melodies and sing them over these riffs creating a beautiful sense of contrast. There are songs here which feature Devon's most fragile vocal lines to date and they sound totally heartfelt to say the least.

The January Tree, at times, is a wonderfully easy album to enjoy. Maybe it's because I'm so used to the signature sound of DST and Devon's vocal delivery throughout the 10 years I've been listening to him, so my guess is that if you're a fan of AMOC and some of the later era Psychotic Waltz stuff, you're most probably going to find yourself digging this CD a lot. Unlike AMOC though, three of the songs on January Tree were co-written by Adel Moustafa and surprisingly these songs have brought a very different feel to the record. Besides the terrific album opener "Spiders and Flies", the fourth track "Why?" features a very structured yet natural and memorable guitar solo. Once again the chorus here is incredibly beautiful. "Wings of Faith" is another song with different textures. It contains interesting vocal harmonies, background samples, processed vocals and tribal drumming. "Toy Rockets" sees Devon carrying his Jethro Tull influence into the focus of the song with even more tribal rhythms and hypnotizing melodies.

The longest song "Just Like A Timepiece" also bears another importance. First released on Devon's 1993 solo album The Strange Mind of Buddy Lackey, the songwriting is credited as (Devon/Lackey) in the CD booklet. That put a smile on my face. The song is reworked and interpreted in a new way. A lot of PW-ish guitar riffs abound the composition with a subtle folk vibe going on underneath the melodies. The fragile piano on this track is side by side by Sabotage-era Black Sabbath riffs and Devon probably never sounded better. He sure has improved and matured greatly on The January Tree. Once again he sings, plays electric and acoustic guitar, bass, flute, keyboards, piano, and he produces. Adel Moustafa does the drum work. The concept and lyrical theme is explained both in the lyrics and on the band's official website, so go and have a look if you're interested.

After A Murder of Crows, which shaved off much of the fat from their self titled debut release, Dead Soul Tribe come back and bring the fat back in - but this time make it much more organized. The industrial influences, which were basically come on A Murder of Crows are back (the song "Wings of Faith") as well as a more varied instrumental approach (The Jethro Tull style flute on "Just Like A Timepiece").

But just as much as all of that changed, much stayed the same. DST are still playing dark, constrained prog in the style of Tool. Devon's voice is still amazing. He can still write amazing songs. They still have the sound of no instrument standing out but rather they work as a divine whole (a trait that is found in many bands where all the music is written by one person). And the Danny Carry style drumming is still there.

Seeing as how they have improved by a significant amount with each release despite only being a year apart from each other, I am eagerly awaiting Dead Soul Tribes next release... though it is hard to imagine them improving on The January Tree. Highly recommended for fans of Tool.

After enjoying the hauntingly powerful "A Murder Of Crows", I was eager to hear this album, and was definitely not disappointed. While the general vibes and atmospheres created are similar to those in DST's previous releases, `"The January Tree" is arguably their most consistent effort.

Graves' formula is simple: take Adel Moustafa, let him strut his talent on the drum kit, write brooding and dark melodies with repetitive catchy guitar lines. Lace this all with powerful vocals and poetic lyrics. Simple. The difficulty Graves faces, as with a lot of other artists who write all of the music by themselves, is the risk of repetition. But on "The January Tree" Graves is spot on, like he was in...well...his career spanning discography, including ex-band Psychotic Waltz and DST's earlier releases. He is one exceptional talent.

The music is simply top notch progressive metal. The angst-ridden pounding riffs and brutal vocals of the opener "Spiders & Flies" instantly recall the kind of emotional force typical of Tool's work. The eccentric "Sirens" is an interesting piece fusing elements of jazz guitar, commanding riffs and a wonderful echoing effect on Graves' vocals. The chorus is simply killer too. "Love of Hate" is another great example of Graves using the basics to tremendous effects, containing only two repeated sections, the song is just straight forward...no messing metal. Again Graves' niche for a superb, heartfelt chorus is present. "Why?" is possibly my favourite DST song to date, and the definitive moment on the album. Everything is just wondrous here, especially the slow burning, ultimately progressive use of crescendos to create a dark, sinister atmosphere. "Wings Of Faith" is an experimental track seeing the use of industrial styled guitar and drum sounds, with a heavy focus on vocal sampling and vocal effects. It works though, and is another high point to the album. After more equally gleaming tracks comes another lovely surprise, the ballad "Just Like A Timepiece" which is taken from Graves' solo career under his former name Buddy Lackey (Psychotic Waltz days). The vocal melodies are complemented perfectly by Graves' superb flute playing and simple, yet effective guitars. Great way to finish one of the best prog metal albums in years.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a lil bit of substance to his or hers metal, or simple admirers of good progressively styled music.

I find the world of Devon Graves a fascinating place, as he is one of metal's most thought provoking, in-depth and alluring characters. Graves began life as the vocalist in the American cult outfit Psychotic Waltz, who did not get the exposure they so rightly deserved and called it quits after releasing just five albums. During Graves' tenure with Psychotic Waltz, he used the pseudonym Buddy Lackey, but since then I have been unable to ascertain which of the two names is a stage name or his real name. Since his Psychotic Waltz days, Graves has kept himself busy by relocating to Austria from America and linked up with some like-minded musicians, playing a multifaceted form of progressive metal.

Graves is the sole prodigy of Deadsoul Tribe and has the incredible ability to weave fascinating and inspiring lyrics into a story as well as writing some thought provoking music. With `The January Tree' the musical foundation is still the same as on previous releases, amid the gentle yet powerful guitar work of Graves, bass guitar that rumbles along so meaningfully and the drumming of Abel Moustaffa is excellent, incorporating tribal rhythms similar to the likes of what Sepultura created on their `Roots' album. Graves possesses a very subtle voice that can up the ante when needed, adding plenty of melody, soul and emotion to his vocal delivery. There are occasions where Graves certainly seems to be playing into the hands of more modern metal influences than on previous work, but this has worked favourably for him.

I have always felt there has been a strong Tool influence in the music of Deadsoul Tribe, which is once again very apparent on `The January Tree'. Graves starts the proceedings off with `Spiders and Flies' with a gloomy introductory bass line, building the foundation up on a tight riff, big anthem-like chorus all topped off with Graves' unique and enchanting voice. The intensity rarely lets up during the remainder of the album and `Sirens' rides in on a relentless main riff which seems intent on pulverising the listener into submission. The rather melancholic `The coldest days of Winter' features Graves' vocals at their most haunting and depressing, managing to incorporate some of his trademark Jethro Tull flute playing in to the mix.

'Wings of Faith' sees the use of techno beats with some unusual drumming, which underpins a immense main riff somewhat reminiscent of German metallers Rammstein and `Waiting For The Answer' has a Black Sabbath type riff, yet the chorus has a more evocative nu-metal edge to it. Overall, another excellent effort from Devon Graves and his band of morbid men! With his profile significantly raised from his appearance on Ayreon's `The Human Equation' opus, hopefully this will be the album that sees Deadsoul Tribe getting some proper attention from new fans and the music media alike. The hugely talented graphic artist, Travis Smith, has done the cover artwork that fittingly captures the bleak and sombre mood the music creates. I would also suggest fans to check out some of Graves' previous work with Psychotic Waltz, as they were a fascinating band who were well ahead of their time.

A decent percentage of the modern prog scene is cluttered with many bands that, though technically proficient and to some extent enjoyable, attempt to create a sound that stands alone but ultimately ends up sounded rather dated. Where these bands fail, Dead Soul Tribe flourishes and creates a unique sound that propels them far beyond that of bands of their ilk and puts them up on a pedestal comparable with bands such as Fates Warning. This comparison is only in talent and respect, not in sound, though some of the quieter passages do bring back memories of `Parallels', the sound of `The January Tree' is something of its own, something like an amalgam of King Crimson, a bit of Tool type breakdowns, `Bridge of Sighs' era Robin Trower type riffs, some of the more rock oriented moments of Stabbing Westward, even a dose of mathcore for good measure. This rather unique sounds aided by supreme musicianship makes for one of the best prog albums of the new millennium, even giving last year's phenomenal O.S.I. release a run for its money. Perhaps the strongest part of 'The January Tree' is its strong writing? Crafting powerful and emotional tracks that have remained a constant in my stereo since its release. Along with Riverside and Canvas Solaris, Dead Soul Tribe are the leaders of the modern progressive movement and have crafted an album that will eventually become the benchmark for their specific genre.

9 / 10

4.5 stars. While I still think "A Murder Of Crows" is Deadsoul Tribe's benchmark album, if there was ever a band in which I would recommend newcomers buy two albums simultaneously it would be the aforementioned release and "The January Tree". "A Murder of Crows" doesn't have the punchy production value of "The January Tree" but it does have a more organic approach to the songwriting using piano, flute, acoustic instruments much more often than the hard-driving guitar attack of the follow-up album. "The January Tree" also incorporates more industrial stylings and keyboard effects than before; and while I prefer a more organic sound the improved production sound on "The January Tree" is a major plus that very nearly levels the playing field between the two recordings. All in all, both albums are worth buying for different reasons. Regardless of the differences, both albums hold great amounts of excellent music.

Judging The January Tree from the perspective that the aim in music is to conjure an emotion, I believe this is the perfect album for those who seek to summon the boredom so vividly portrayed in Dead Soul Tribe's music.

Devon Graves has returned with a third album. Although the artist name appearing on the album cover is "Dead Soul Tribe," Graves handles all the writing, recording, and production for this effort (save the drums, played by Adel Moustafa).

This boring, derivative album shows clear Dream Theater influence. Although the album was obviously well thought out, Graves succeeds in evoking the desired image of a dull, leafless tree with his tedious formulaic songwriting. Graves aimed to get a consistent level of quality among the different tracks on his album. He was unfortunately successful in this regard.

I'd give this album a 2/5, since Graves was at least successful in evoking some image in his music.