Saturday 1 December 2018

DORRE - Fall River (Album Review) - And Exclusive Song Premiere


Release date: January 2019. Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Fall River – Tracklisting

Satisfying Sadistic Urges
Force The Victims
Maximum State Of Emotional Arousal
The Greatest Amount Of Life Force
Extracted At The Moment Of Death
Fall River

Members

Adriaan De Raymaeker (guitar)
Wolf Overloop (drums)
Etherik Heyns (guitar)
Andrew Hockley (bass)

Review

If you’re expecting more of the same music from DORRE on their highly anticipated debut album – Fall River – compared to their previous EP’s then you maybe surprised. I won’t say disappointed. Just majorly surprised by the route they have chosen on their new album. As DORRE have added different musical elements into their overall sound such as Progressive Metal, Doom, Sludge and Thrash Metal.

This is a very different DORRE who released two previous EP’s that were firmly rooted into the world of Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal. Fall River will take a few listens to fully appreciate and actually admire. As the album is a complex and progressive journey that will delight and frustrate in equal measure. I mean that as a compliment. As the band push themselves musically and creatively on this album.

Opening song –I Satisfying Sadistic Urges – sees the band playing a heavy style of Doom, Thrash, and Progressive Metal. The song has a lot of angry Thrash Metal parts where the guitars suddenly speed up and offer a harsher and direct sound. There are a few psychedelic sounds being played in the background. As the band haven’t completely abandoned the sound they created on their previous records.

Second song – Force The Victims – as the title suggests is a more sombre and gloomier offering than the opening song. The song has an almost Post-Metal feel to it with the psychedelic sounds giving way to a Doom/Thrash manic energy. The aggressive post-metallic riffs moves the album further into Doom Metal territory. Maybe I do miss DORRE’s earlier sound but I still can’t admiring the bold choices made on this album and this song ranks as one of the heaviest and standout songs on the album.

Third song – Maximum State Of Emotional Arousal – opens with an alt-rock/metal riff that’s very different to the opening two songs. As DORRE play a more uplifting Post-Rock sound. However DORRE soon return to their heavier ways with the psychedelic progressive riffs soon taking over. The instrumental work is superb with the band playing a wide range of different genres and also adding a real emotional feel to their music.

Fourth song – The Greatest Amount Of Life Force – is a fast-paced number and is perhaps where DORRE come closest to their original early sound. As it’s a doom based song with a few moments of Heavy Progressive Stoner parts as well.

Fifth song – Extracted At The Moment Of Death – is where DORRE take the most risks on this album. As they have a guest vocalist singing on this song. The vocals are handled superbly well and the music is perhaps one of the heaviest songs that DORRE have written to date. It did take some time for me to actually enjoy and admire this song. As it’s quite a hard to song to fully appreciate the first time you listen to it. However, give this song a few spins and you will soon be won round by DORRE’s clever use of Hard Rock, Thrash and NWOBHM.

The final song – Fall River – is one final round of heavy psychedelic and progressive weirdness from DORRE as they switch musical identities yet again. The music is quite disjointed at times but still manages to be another one of the albums best songs.

The production is very honest and has quite an organic feel. The overall mood of the album is constantly engaging and sounds first-rate from the start. DORRE have outdone themselves with this album. It may take their established fan-base some time to enjoy this album. However that doesn’t stop Fall River being an excellent album that will enhance DORRE’s well-deserved reputation further within the Doom/Sludge Metal community.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to DORRE for the promo. Fall River will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from January 2019. Pre-Orders are live now.

You can hear an exclusive new song SATISFYING SADISTIC URGES from the upcoming album - Fall River.



Links: