Italy's Bedsore have decided to out-do Blood Incantation’s attempt to be the most progressive death metal band of 2024, although their newest album Dreaming The Strife For Love is definitely more “progressive” than “death metal”. In fact, practically no sign of death metal can be found during its 45-minute runtime, and the only extreme metal element is in the harsh, desperately rasping vocal delivery. The album serves mainly as a tribute to the style pioneered by prog rock bands from the ‘70s. Meandering, jazzy musicianship is interwoven in countless layers, building up a very immersive atmosphere.
The band aren't in a rush (pardon the pun), kicking things off with 6 minutes of patient instrumental ambience. The second song, which slightly picks up the pace, introduces the harsh vocals, which, as already mentioned, are the most extreme part of the record. Bedsore offer a diverse array of instruments, including a fretless bass, synthesizers, an organ, a mellotron, a 12-string guitar, and even guest appearances of saxophone, flute, trumpet, and trombone. The music is well-crafted, flowing effortlessly from one melody to another. The overlapping instruments create a very rich, immersive atmosphere, and the ‘70s-style sound is very pleasant to listen to.
However, this overly dominant prog approach is a substantial change from their previous album, 2020's Hypnagogic Hallucinations. While that album also showed tranquil, atmospheric passages, this was balanced by ominous, discordant death metal riffs, fast-paced drumming, and sickening blackened vocals. I personally preferred that form of Bedsore, where they use their creative, prog-influenced abilities to play some intriguing and unique-sounding death metal, instead of using those prog abilities to just play prog rock.
In conclusion, don't go into this album expecting a progressive death metal mixture as on Hypnagogic Hallucinations or even like Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere. Dreaming The Strife For Love is overwhelmingly a progressive rock album with harsh vocals. The album is competently made, and Bedsore have proven that they are a forward-thinking band that doesn't shy away from taking their prog influences to the extreme, but I do find it disappointing that we didn't get a sequel of the style exhibited on Hypnagogic Hallucinations. So, if you don't mind meandering progressive musicianship, Dreaming The Strife For Love gives you plenty of material to indulge in. But, if you're curious what a much better fusion of progressive and unnerving death metal sounds like, I highly recommend Hypnagogic Hallucinations.
