Dream Weapon

Genghis Tron

I've heard bits and pieces of Genghis Tron's earlier work before. It was incredibly frenetic; randomly switching between electronic and grindcore passages in this really chaotic fashion. Dream Weapon, the band's first in 13 years is certainly not that, and that's not a bad thing. It's a little more electronic focused and the sounds and tone the band is working with are very reminiscent of some of Trent Reznor's soundtrack work with its somewhat sinister vibe. The band still has those aggressive moments though like on the title track and mid way through Ritual Circle. By the time the latter example rolls around, hearing the screams is actually quite surprising and exhilarating. Another element I really have to praise about this record is the fantastic drumming thanks to Nick Yacyshyn. Tracks like Pyrocene and Alone In the Heart of Light have these really intricate drum patterns that are immediately ear-grabbing. The drumming on the title track is full-throttle and there are tons of excellent drum fills all over the record. It really is the best part of the record.

My biggest gripe with Dream Weapon is that most songs here drag on a little too long. They often start really strong and have a lot of interesting elements but I feel they are not able to keep that excitement for the long duration of each track. The whole last half of Ritual Circle, after the awesome aggressive crescendo, brings you down from such a high that I can't help but feel disappointed. And while I'm airing my grievances, the vocal effects and the synth sounds are kinda constant throughout the record so by the end, it all starts to sound the same. The band has said they were trying to make a 'meditative' record and I guess in a way they achieved what they set out to do. Despite this, I did come out feeling pretty positive about this record. I'm loving the addition of the drummer, and I really like the vocalist. I wouldn't mind if the band decided to continue in this direction if they found a way to maintain that meditative quality while still keeping things interesting right until the very end. It also couldn't hurt to have a little more crossover into metal since it was those moments on the record I found most memorable.