(drama)-Zastor Tisine

Altsphere
2011

Hailing from Croatia (drama) formed in 2004. They recorded a demo in 2006 and then began focusing their writing skills even more. This album was actually recorded in 2010, but was just recently released. This is not in English, but that really doesn't matter because the music certainly does enough to relay the emotions they are trying to get across. The idea behind this album was influenced by five albums of nature situated in a wintry landscape. The album ranges from simple stripped down riffs to much more complex patterns. The start with a basic doom foundation and on layers of textures and different sounds to build the songs up. They excel at using melodies, heavy riffs and thick plodding passages too. (drama) are powerful song writers who realize the importance of subtlety. They have the playing skills to really control their songs and they do so in expert fashion. Their greatest strength to my ears is their ability to transition from one style to another without losing any power in their music. Some bands get caught up in pushing different styles in your face, but this band has a definite plan for each song and they stick to it all the while pulling you along and exposing your senses to all they have to offer. This is definitely an album that requires several spins to really get the most out of it, but it's certainly worth the effort.