Pain's 2004 release Dancing With The Dead sees Peter Tagtgren loosening up on the techno influences a bit and upping the ante on the progressive metal and gothic styles. As a result, Dancing With The Dead is more symphonic, perhaps less accessible, but ultimately heavier and darker than2001's Rebirth. Think of a less extreme Hypocrisy, with clean vocals and more keyboards, and you get an idea of what Tagtgren has come up with here.
It's impossible not to fall in love with a song like "Same Old Song", a real catchy yet gothic piece featuring slow & grinding guitar riffs and huge waves of keyboards, or the head banging scorcher "Nothin", complete with bubbling synths and sledgehammer guitars. Atmospheric space rock not unlike 80's Eloy can be heard on "Tables Have Turned", and danceable rhythms mix with catchy vocal harmonies on the fun "Not Afraid to Die".
Fans of Dream Theater will love the crunchy guitar work and symphonic keyboard passages of the wild title track. Tagtgren's guitar work here is pure menace, and his keyboard textures up front in the mix, making for an intense wall of sound. Electronica meets punk on the raging "Bye/Die", while "My Misery" is pure futuristic and spacey heavy rock. It wouldn't be a Tagtgren album with a few extreme metal scorchers, here in the form of the rampaging "A Good Day to Die" and the blistering thrash of "Don't Count Me Out", both featuring ass-kicking guitar riffs and tight rhythms. On the other end of the spectrum, you also get some quirky Nine Inch Nails styled electronic metal on "Stay Away" and the bubbly "Third Wave".
In summary, Dancing With The Dead is a pretty heavy yet very fun album that should appeal to more than just metal fans. Peter Tagtgren once again shows why he is considered one of the legendary talents of todays metal scene.
Track Listing
1. Don't Count Me Out
2. Same Old Song
3. Nothin
4. Tables Have Turned
5. Not Afraid To Die
6. Dancing With The Dead
7. Tear It Up
8. Bye / Die
9. My Misery
10. A Good Day To Die
11. Stay Away
12. Third Wave
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
