RSS Feed


DREADNOUGHT
The Endless

Profound Lore (2022)
Rating: 8/10

Sometimes I see reviews as a challenge, particularly when they involve a band who has a sound that isn’t easy to pin down. One such example is Denver, Colorado-based ensemble Dreadnought. They may share their moniker with numerous other acts, defunct or otherwise, but their sound is certainly unique.

From the haunting, bewitching vocals to those ethereal passages, it could even be argued that these guys occasionally drift away from the metal spectrum until of course the black metal-styled rasps of despair emerge. But if you take those away then this expansive, experimental record should still appeal to those who look for sophisticated but above all, emotional and atmospheric music even if it does feel extremely modern in design.

There are still streaks of dissonance and otherworldly ambience as this opus unravels. ‘Midnight Moon’ is a fine example of how Dreadnought operates with its angular and progressive trajectories whereby the sound acts more as a glimmering, often alien soundscape where for the most part the instruments play out delicate designs caressed by haunting female vocals.

What I really like about this album though is the fact it remains unhurried, whether it be a trickling bass or a stark guitar chord, and those eager for weight may be disappointed as the likes of ‘The Endless’ remain as soundtracks of a sort, sweeping, fragile, cosmic and, dare I say it, jangly, whereas a track such as ‘Liminal Veil’ is spiritual, unorthodox and above all moody.

You most certainly cannot say that Dreadnought is predictable, but you may also argue that even at their darkest or heaviest they remain a mere step away from lighter manoeuvres. However, tracks such as ‘Gears Of Violent Endurance’ do bring the rasping, black metal vocal sneers which oddly, for me anyway, have already started to feel out of place on what is essentially a poignant, melancholic and emotive record that for 41 minutes wraps you in a luminous green blanket and transports you into a realm that instead of shaking, shimmers through its haunting hue. The Endless is an interesting record for those with an ear for the expansive.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share