Album Review: DreamSpy - Out Of This World
Reviewed by Liam True
Usually when a one-man project comes into mind, they’re either very good with controversy behind them that hinders the ability to listen, or they’re terrible beyond belief. But I think I've found the exception with DreamSpy. A balance between industrial and gothic rock its dark on some songs but on others you more a more aggressive industrial sound that’s reminiscent of early Static-X.
Opener The Chosen One is the main example of this. Opening like it could have been a cut from Static-X's first album, it does turn toward the softer side of the industrial sound but still with its aggressive nature mixed with a fun chorus that’ll get stuck in your head it’s a great song. Time To Die is much more industrial but slower in tempo giving it a vile sound that works to its benefit as sole member Anssi Tamminen’s vocals are slightly distorted that works well with the song.
Fire is a fine and fitting tribute to goth/dark rock of the 80’s sound like a mix between The Cult and The Sisters Of Mercy with more anthemic chorus’ to boot. Along this point you realise that the instrumentals sound great. The drums are a mix between programmed and studio drums which when they are programmed, like on Part Steel, Part Human it works perfectly. And when the studio drums are used on songs like Fire, they blend seamlessly. The colliding genres may seem like a bit of a mess from the outside, and apart from small moments like the chorus to Fire where it all bunches up and sounds distorted and trying to overpower each other, the mix of genres are wonderfully done and don’t overstep on the other.
By the time Outside blasts over you begin to feel the guitar tone changes on each song. But it’s not even a guitar being used. It’s Tamminen’s custom electric upright bass that’s strumming out the dark tones and echoing features across the album. Combined with his baritone vocals it makes it eerie and unforgivingly brilliant. The distorted bass hums along as the programmed/studio drums echo around.
Considering it’s a one-man passion project, the album is brilliant. Start to finish you’re treated with genre changed. Vocal abilities not used like this for several years and the production is crisp and clean apart from a few spots, but even that can be overlooked.
