Project Description
Dream State
Primrose Path
(Album Review)
Reviewer: Connor Gutteridge
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In a world where most people claim to be genuine but all too rarely actually are, Dream State feel different.
“That’s my thing… being real, open and honest,” says vocalist CJ Gilpin.
“There’s so much power in that. I can’t be fake, that’s just not in me. I can’t put on a facade. I like to be real. I want people to feel connected. This is why music is not just a band for me or the boys, it’s a way of inspiring. I know how hard life can be.”
Proof of this is their staggering debut album ‘Primrose Path’, named after a person on the pursuit of pleasure despite disastrous results, and arguably set to mark one one of the most vital UK rock albums in years. It partly forms a commentary on social media, alcohol, drugs and much more aside from that, but defiantly so:
“There’s a lot of goodness in there, a lot of fight. I want to wake things up and make something of my life,” says CJ.
‘Primrose Path’ is a spectacular statement of a debut album, which CJ and Dream State assert they have created because they need this. No doubt, the heavy music sphere needs them just as badly.
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The opening track from the record Primrose Path is entitled Made Up Smile and is a great fun way to start off the new album with a level of high energy. Has a very cool ambient electronic influenced intro which works in a build fade in sort of style to build anticipation for the track. The single string lines overlying the first verse gives the song a depth feel about it and keeps it from becoming repetitive. There is a very wide dynamic range in and throughout the track with the band utilising drop and builds throughout there transitions to keep a degree of anticipation from start to finish. This track is the perfect opener as it really sets a tone of fun intensity for this rest of the album.
Vocalist CJ really shows off her unique vocals style into the world with this opener, giving the track substance into its appeal. Along with the underlying distorted guitars sitting just bellow the synth sound works well to give it a heavy pop style. A personal highlight for me was the change up from first to second verse and how they just take it to the next level with the second verse. Great opening track and off to a flying start.
The second track is called Are You Ready To Live. The track begins with a slower start before leading right into the belly of the beast with a fun fast paced kick drum driven intro phase that truly highlights CJ’s incredibly unique dirty vocals. The bass guitar and drums are really the driving force behind this track with both punching through to a focal point without taking anything off the lead melodic section. The high range vocals in the chorus of this track allows the listener to experience the truly incredible diversity of lead vocalist CJ’s voice, pulling off both sweet cleans and aggressive screams. A personal highlight in this track for me was the bridge/outro section of the song.
They seemingly put so many elements into such a small amount of time with multiple rise and falls, fun little guitar licks and changes in vocal styles in and throughout the section. It really shows the time and effort that the band has put into the arrangement of the song. Great track!
The third track from the album was the first to be released from the record, it is Hand in Hand. Utilisation of EDM influence gelled in with metal influences, power vocals & full of energy are just a few elements that makes not only this track but this album so incredible. The soft vocal intro before the crossover drum line & distortion breaks through the door with power and fun intensity.
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The verses drop back the dynamics to outline the choruses which works as a tactic to push out the chorus as a major section of the track. I really enjoyed the track because of its feel from beginning to end, its just fun and holds a lot of elements that I really love in both metal and pop music. A personal highlight for me was the breakdown section as it showcases all the critical elements to a good breakdown with the inclusion of other elements to make it their own feel.
The third track pre-released from ‘Primrose Path’ was Open Windows and all the pre release tracks were a serious indication of things to come. This track is a really fun, upbeat song with a very real meaning behind it of the pursuit for superficial perfection.
The single string distortion line used throughout the verses builds the anticipation for the sections to come. I quite love the guitar licks used in the pre-chorus section of the track and how it sits in the mix and has its own unique section. The chorus brings in the use of strumming patterns to drive through the track and keep the intensity. A personal highlight of this track for me is the very beginning of the track when the track drops in abruptly with raw aggression, such a cool, fun song.
The next track on the record was the last pre-release track out before the release of the new album, entitled Twenty Letters. The low register/clean vocals in the intro while the background noise is building for the next section is a symbol for what is to come, and I love it. The total drop of elements except for CJ saying “I’m Done” is placed quite perfect for a quick drop and BAM her we are! Chorus chord progression is simple but super effective as it works hand in hand with the vocals and the synthesizer section. The prolonged fade out in the outro was a welcomed element to the track as it gives the song as a whole an element of resolve after an obviously emotional track. My personal highlight of the track was the vocal melodies in the choruses, I am a sucker for a beautiful vocal melody.
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The sixth track of this record is titled Spitting Lies and is yet another example of how Dream State are so diverse in their writing style and each track is uniquely different in its own way. The start of this track has its own unique feel to it with it starting off in an upbeat minor fashion with the tone for the track being set from the very start.
I really enjoy how CJ can totally manipulate her voice to sound completely different from track to track, even section to section. The first time I listened to this track if I didn’t know any better, I would have said that it was a completely different singer, that’s how good she is. The use of guitar lines throughout the whole track both clean and distorted really adds a sweet element to the track for the listener to enjoy. A personal highlight of the track for me is the section of super aggression at the end of the song with heavier drum influence and scream vocals really leaves a fun aggression on the bill.
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The next track on the record is named Out Of The Blue. Faded in electronic before the volume up fade in guitar sound comes through is a uniquely common thing in the metal scene, meaning we see it a lot but this one is just sort of different. This track right from the start has a heavier feel to it through the distorted single string distorted riff played throughout the intro/verses. This was also backed up by the double kicking drum beats used in the second verse just to add another layer of intensity and a fast feel to it. The use of both female and male vocals in the chorus is incredibly placed in the track as it adds an extra layer to an already thick track, adds to the range of elements. This is something that is not utilised much by the band but is always cool to hear.
Then for something that we have heard a lot of on this record but can never get enough of it the breakdown to outro section of the song, again this gives a fun piece of aggression to close out the track with. A personal highlight for me is the choruses used, as I said before I am a total sucker for a beautiful melodic voice in a heavy chorus and this one really hits the mark with the two voices.
And now for something completely different, the eighth track on this already incredible album is Chapters. This track is slow paced and emotional, but the biggest change up is the use of Rhys Wilcox (guitarist) as the lead vocalist for this track. Personally, I loved this because it gave the record even more diversity then it had before, showing the listeners not to anticipate and just enjoy. The unique vocal style of both Rhys and CJ works so well with the emotion driven songs, which Chapters most definitely is.
You can feel the emotion being sung throughout the whole song and even the chord progressions just give it an extra layer of emotion through the use of straight chords. The clean guitar works along with the hollowed-out distortion during the choruses was a highlight for this track for me as the arrangement sits it just below the vocals, so it brought out nicely without taking anything away for the vocals.
The next track is not only the second and biggest pre-release from the record but it the title track for the record, called Primrose. I personally fell in love with this band from the very first time I heard this song. Was seriously just like nothing I had every heard before in my life. The vocals were just so rustic and powerful whether they are clean or screams, CJ is phenomenal.
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The electronic influence over a great deal of their songs is a welcome addition to this song as an addition to the backbone of the song. The first thought I had when I heard this song was just that it was such a big song, by that I mean just think and full. Not a lot of bands produce products on their debut album to the calibre of this track. The chords are simple throughout the whole track but its all the elements mashed together that make the title track something truly special. A highlight for me is the breakdown section that is made heavy using the scream vocals, but the chords are kept long and held throughout the section. This is not something that is very common with breakdowns, but I love it!!
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And then there was one, the final track on the record is called I Feel It Too. The intro starts with a weird almost pulsating sound for a cool ambient intro. I especially loved the progression throughout this track with an ever-changing style throughout the whole track. The vocals are a big focal point of this track as there is a lot of emotion in her voice and again with this track it shows her diversity. The dynamical range of tall elements in this track adds to the intensity and emotion.
The chorus is a powerful point in this track as a result of its chord choice and vocal progression that cannot really be explained, its just great. My personal highlight for this track is where the increased the intensity by 10 in the second verse, Love it!!
This record is something that Dream State should be so proud of, it has all the elements of an amazing kickstart record. Big things coming for this band, awesome stuff!!
TRACK LIST
Made Up Smile
Are You Ready To Live
Hand in Hand
Open Windows
Twenty Letters
Spitting Lies
Out Of The Blue
Chapters
Primrose
Feel It Too
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