A nice heavy bass riff is such a cool way to start off a song, especially one that builds into something epic. That is why The Dreaming’s new single ‘Alone’ will get you going right away.
It has got the crucial factors for a great industrial rock track – well placed synth, pounding drums, heavily distorted rhythm guitar, articulate vocals and a bit of reverb here and there – and by God does it hit the nail on the head.
For those who don’t know, The Dreaming seem to be a bit of an industrial rock super group. Leading songwriting duties are vocalist Christopher Hall and Walter Flakus on keyboards, who are formerly of the band Stabbing Westward. Joining them are one-time Stabbing Westward drummer Johnny Haro, guitarist Carlton Bost of Deadsy and Orgy fame and former Static X bassist Brent Ashley.
‘Alone’ is the first single from The Dreaming’s upcoming album, which is intended as call back to early Stabbing Westward music – likely why Chris Hall decided to call it ‘Rise Again’.
For sure, you can hear a few of the monikers of Stabbing Westward in ‘Alone’. Listening to ‘Save Yourself’, for example, there’s the driving bass and Chris Hall’s reverb-y vocals. Yet ‘Alone’ is a bit darker.
Let’s not forget, though, the other members have put their own little spin on it too. The guitar riff and effects sound like something that could easily have been on an Orgy record, who both Carlton Bost and Brent Ashley have played in.
Compared to The Dreaming’s previous albums, it seems that they have been evolving their sound into the kind you hear in ‘Alone’ for some time. Some of the tracks on ‘Etched in Blood’ had a bit more of a rawer hard rock sound, while ‘Puppet’ started to get a bit more synth behind it. Now it has culminated in ‘Alone’ and – one can only hope – the rest of ‘Rise Again’.
‘Alone’ has given a little taste of what The Dreaming have to offer one their next album and now more is needed. So roll on the release of ‘Rise Again’ in February.
Oh… and, of course, with a good industrial rock single comes a kick ass remix. So make sure you check out the Reamped Mix of ‘Alone’ too. Much more electronically driven and atmospheric than its counterpart and definitely the kind of tune that needs to be heard in a goth club.
