Subject To Thoughts - The Thought Process


Year of Release: 2003
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: #
Format: CD
Total Time: 52:00:00

Hello, my name is Mark Mendieta and I am a one-man band called Subject To Thoughts. I started this project in 1999, and completed my first demo entitled Outlook in 2001 but with no vocals. On May 2003, I recently completed my second demo entitled The Thought Process, and vocals were introduced for the first time. The Thought Process consists of 10 songs at a running time of 52 minutes. My music can be best described as Progressive Gothic Rock / Metal with a lot of acoustic interludes and an atmospheric mood. Some of my influences are Dream Theater, Type O Negative, Vanden Plas, Katatonia and My Dying Bride. At the moment, I do not have a website, nor is my music on the Internet, and I have no photos. If anybody is interested in obtaining my cassette demo, I can be reached at DRYWOLF (at) aol.com or at the below listed address.

Upon first hearing the demo, it was easy to hear the dark influences listed in the bio. Type O Negative comes to mind immediately, although Mark's music is nowhere near as heavy as the band; the darkness and whispering vocals sometimes remind of that band. This is a very dark, sinister, surreal approach to music - combining the darkness of gothic atmospheres with the beauty of New Age influences. The soft acoustic guitars provide the base for the sound, and other electronic sounds and influences fill in the melodies and song structures. The tempos, which are slow and consistent, are provided by a drum machine, and do not follow a constant pattern. Some songs are driven by bass alone, sans drum sounds, which work well.

I would certainly have to disagree with the bio that there are any metal sounds / influences to be found on here, other than some of the vocals, and influences contain some of the listed bands. To these ears, this is soft, Gothic / New Age music, and although the vocals are well done (albeit a bit back in the mix), I imagine a soft, chanting female vocalist out front to provide the added ingredient to make this all come together in sound and style; or at least have the female / male vocals interacting for a more interesting approach. Either way, I would look for this disc in the New Age section, and on the label I would have a sticker describing this as "Dark, Ambient, Gothic New Age." Well done if you like this sort of style, and I'm guessing will sound so much better recorded professionally.

Mark Mendieta
P.O. Box 5512
Brownsville, Texas 78523

[Since this was originally published, there is now a website (link below) -ed. 07/2010]


Tracklisting:
The Sense of Discontent / Falling Into / Forgive My Sins / I / Hollow Winter / Serene=Sorrow / Remembrance / The Last Day / Transcend / Unwilling

Musicians:
Mark Mendieta - All instruments

Discography:
Outlook (demo) (2001)
The Thought Process (demo) (2003)
From Emptiness To Beyond (2005)
To Embrace The Light (2006)
From Sunrise To Sunset (2007)
The Culmination (2010)

Genre: Other

Origin US

Added: December 1st 2003
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri

Artist website: www.subjecttothoughts.com
Hits: 1753
Language: english

  

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