Dissona - Dissona - review
Dissona - Dissona - review
Tracklist
01. Inverted Swarm02. Fiction
03. Nest
04. Interlude I
05. Immersion
06. Avella
07. Eccentress
08. Fawn
09. Chrysalis
10. Interlude II
11. Lapse Into Hysteria
12. Illumination
13. Garden Of Rust
A review by
R'Vannith March 10, 2012
I'll say this upfront; if you like avant-garde/progressive bands of Leprous' ilk you're going to find something to enjoy here. It's got that same bewildering yet immediately engaging mix of influences from various progressive legends. Whereas Leprous, such as in their latest release, manages to convincingly mask these influences with their own guise, Dissona don't quite manage this same feat as their identity isn't quite as solidified. These influences are just as wide ranging though, if not moreso, and Dissona bring them together in a staggeringly diverse album. The strong symphonic progressive elements which form the backbone of this release are reminiscent of bands such as Symphony X and Suspyre, as can be seen on "Nest" and "Immersion".
This is a parrot of an album, it mimics those it witnesses and its plumage is bright and colourful, almost overindulging to the senses. "Eccentress", what is most definitely a highlight, swings in with an amusing swagger with many influences being brought into the fray, the obvious presence of prog rock legends Gentle Giant are dealt with exceptionally well.
To say that the vocalist, Dave Dubenic, is talented would be an understatement, his mimicry and delivery in general is extraordinary. His voice is so diverse it is difficult to follow him throughout the album, he takes on an impossible array of personas ranging from Gildenlow to Hedlund to Townsend. He breaks free from rarely witnessed cleans to dominating harsh vocals with ease. While Dubenic certainly steals the show, breathing life into this wonderful album is a band of equal diversity and creativity for song writing. The guitar work is delicious to say the least; always shifting to maintain consistent interest in the listener. The bass and drums in particular hold a strong presence throughout giving the album a very satisfying density, with the keyboards traced through efficiently never over-saturating things.
All the tracks have their own bundle of surprises in store, perhaps teetering a little in quality nearing the end of the album such as on the final two offerings. Even the short interludes are surprisingly engaging, the second of these cleverly overlapping with "Lapse Into Hysteria."
This is a debut unparalleled in its ability to bring so many influences to the table and serve such a tantalising and hearty gourmet meal of progressive metal.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 8 |
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I agree that they remind of Leprous, and I see a lot of talent. But somehow it fails to catch my attention. I feel that it is a bit unfocused at times. A strong 7 from me.
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Posts: 3099 Written by Kuroboshi on 09.04.2012 at 17:29 While I wouldn't say 'unfocused' I do see what you mean. Its more of an issue of lack of a cohesive identity than a lack of focus for me. There are more times than not, I think, when they seem quite deliberate in their purpose with alluding to various influences and such.
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Posts: 677 Written by David Dubenic on 10.05.2012 at 03:24 Don't even worry about it, David; this is just the beginning. 
---- My lo-fi synth project: http://luciddreamer.bandcamp.com
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Posts: 3 Written by strade on 10.05.2012 at 03:32 
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Posts: 3099 Written by David Dubenic on 10.05.2012 at 03:42 No problem at all, thank you guys for such a delightful album!
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I couldn't ignore this album any longer - it was on too many top lists already! Finally had a chance to listen and your review is spot on. Especially this: "All the tracks have their own bundle of surprises in store" Uh, yeah 
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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Greetings guys! This is Matt, the lead guitarist of Dissona. I want to thank you all for such kind words and feedback. We are currently writing some awesome new material for you all! However, right now I desperately need your assistance. I have entered the Toontrack Metal Guitar God 2013 contest and have made it to the second round. At this point, I need votes from the outside world to get my video to the judging round. Anyone can vote and you may do so once every 24 hours. You guys are absolutely wonderful and if there's anything else you can do through Metal Storm to help promote my entry I would greatly appreciate it! Here is the link to my contest entry: http://www.toontrack.com/metalguitargod2013.asp#!/entry/620951 -Matt from Dissona
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Posts: 552
I've been listening to things like the new arch enemy, black dahlia murder, and lamb of god. I saw this on the main page and thought i'd come to check out the review. being kind of an outsider to the genre (i have no idea who leprous is that everyone refers to for comparrison, but apparently they are really good according to the comments here) I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but you had my curiosity, and I must say it's incredibly different for me, but a pretty fantastic music experience. much respect to Dissona I love finding new music; especially things that catch me off guard and take me out of my comfort zone.
---- Our children are dead. Burnt in the ruins that were left by war.
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