 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Music Reviews
Senses Fail, From the Depths of Dreams EP Drive Thru, 2002 by Kyle Renaud From the first moment I heard the "From The Depths of Dreams" EP by Senses Fail, I was positively blown away. Not because their sound was something new and groundbreaking, but from the undeniable passion of their music. Senses Fail is a heavy melodic rock band with strong emocore and pop punk influences, but the passion contained in each and every one of their songs cannot be nailed down by any genre. Vocalist Buddy Neilsen has an extraordinary voice; it is powerful, commanding, and heart wrenching all at once. Senses Fail harbors certain pop punk tendencies, namely in the lead guitar melodies, but they are a far more complex and soulful band than any pop punk group The dual guitars of Garrett Zablocki and Dave Miller provide a deep, heavy sound and superb melodies. The rhythm section of drummer Dan Trapp and bassist Mike Glita contribute to the group's well-oiled machine sound. But the star is without a doubt Neilsen. The tone color of his voice is not only breathtaking but he has enough power to let it carry and echo, turning monosyllabic words into beautifully drawn out tales of heartbreak, loss, and even bitter anger. Neilsen's lyrics are also noteworthy; he does not pull any punches, writing what he feels, even when it includes being so angry and desolately sad where he wants to kill. Part of the passion of Senses Fail is the bitter honesty of Neilsen's songwriting; his voice is an extension of his tortured soul. "Steven" is the EPs' opener, the band's tribute to a dear lost friend. It's a nice start to the album, (although dealing with death is seemingly one of the lighter topics on "From The Depths of Dreams,") and is my vote for stand out track I was hooked to Senses Fall after only hearing this tune ”Goodbye, Steven. Goodbye, you friend. You were so young, you were so young.” "Free Fall Without a Parachute" is a fast tune, and Neilsen delves into the innermost parts of his soul, which are seemingly very dark. He sings of his desolate dreams about hurting the one he loves. ”I had a dream last night and in my dream I took a knife to you, I slit your throat from ear to ear, The wound was gasping for air your scream so clear.” “But every dream could never come true, Only in my sick mind can I do these things to you.” My second favorite track on "From The Depths of Dreams" is the third, "My Bloody Romance". This song is the heaviest on the album, yet still also comes out to be the most melodic, the dual guitars are chunky, but not overbearing, and there are some excellent dual and triple vocal harmonies, which are found throughout the EP and are very hard to pull off, but Senses Fail does so with ease. "My Bloody Romance" ends up ends up being a true anthem of unrequited love, possibly the record and band's signature. ”You and me are like one heartbeat.” "Dreaming a Reality" and "One Eight Seven" are also exceptional songs, while "The Ground Folds" is another true highlight, also featuring excellent harmonies and some precision lead guitar work. I marveled at how tight the band sounded on this song, they work amazingly well together and The Ground Folds just adds to that notion and the acoustic version of this song takes it to another level. ”Beneath the rafters the angels sing, Spinning violence and playing with my heart” Rating: 5 out of 5 |