Dead Soul Tribe - Dead Soul Tribe

Year of Release: 2002
Label: InsideOut
Catalog Number: IOMCD095 SPV 087-41862
Format: CD
Total Time: 44:58:00

Many of you may know the band Psychotic Waltz - one of the finest progressive metal bands to walk the earth and a band that decided a few years ago to split. It was a sad moment in time for me but when I heard that a certain Devon Graves, the alter ego of Buddy Lackey (singer of the aforementioned band), was to release a solo album, my heart stopped beating. Finally I would hear once again one of my all time favourite singers.

Where's the singer I used to know from Psychotic Waltz? Where are the strange and original melodies? I'm open-minded when it comes to different bands and different projects. I tried to understand that someone can get tired of strange and awkward melodies and song structures. I'm even open to modern metal. But Dead Soul Tribe just doesn't do it for me. There's nothing wrong with the album as a whole, it's just that the overall feeling I get from this album is that Devon Graves didn't just change his name but he drastically changed his vocal style that at first I didn't recognise him. The music is pretty similar to Engine, the solo band of Ray Alder (Fates Warning), which means you'll get this modern sound all over the place. Simplistic heavy riffs, simplistic melodies, in fact, everything sounds too simplistic and uninspired. The problem is also that none of the songs really stick in your mind which means the album really lacks of some good hooks and some strong choruses.

I'm sure Devon Graves and his band members did this album with all their heart. And I'm sure he hasn't lost any of his vocal range. He just wanted to put out a different album from what he did with Psychotic Waltz. It's just that the path Devon decided to take is not the one I would have like to see him take.

Similar To: Engine

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Powertrip / Comin' Down / Anybody There / The Haunted / The Drowning Machine / You / Under The Weight Of My Stone / Once / One Bullet / Empty / Cry For Tomorrow / Into...* / Into The Spiral Cathedral*
*bonus tracks

Musicians:
Devon Graves - vocals, guitar
Adel Moustafa - drums
Roland Ivenz - bass
Volker Wilschko - guitar

Discography:
Dead Soul Tribe (2002)
A Murder Of Crows (2003)
The January Tree (2004)
The Dead Word (2005)
A Lullaby For The Devil (2007)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: December 12th 2004
Reviewer: Mathieu Chamberland
Score:
Artist website: www.deadsoultribe.com
Hits: 3255
Language: english