I’m confident to say that almost everything has been done in music already, and the only thing that will make an artist stand out is having contrast and Identity, and because of the bold statement, I’m proud to introduce you to an EP that embodies that specific trait. Join me as I discuss Red Skies Dawning’s latest EP, ‘From Ashes.’
‘Where You Been’ started with this electronic drum beat, accompanied by that robotic vocal effect and that flangery keyboard synth, followed by that growl that completely took me away the first time listening to it. It clearly screams innovation and exploration because if I can be honest, such and such doesn’t connect, but that’s what made it special. The beauty is in the contrast.
I specifically like that progressive and bouncy guitar riff and drum beat. The bass tone just hits the spot. It’s mixed to perfection, making it a really enjoyable and exciting listening experience.
‘Obvious’ has the same electronic meets alternative and metal approach, but is geared more towards the melodic vocal progression. The distorted mic effect on the track works perfectly well with the melodic guitar parts. Even though the riff is amazing, the mix was perfectly balanced, making the vocals the main point of the song. The chorus hook has a bit of that pop feel because of its bouncy progression. Again, stating the claim that beauty will always be in contrast.
And to my surprise, Red Skies Dawning decided to give us a taste of how they would approach a 1985 track by the group, Simple Minds, titled, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me).’ And honestly, it’s a banger. Imagine 80s pop meets alternative metal. Synth keyboard riffs are being replaced by distorted guitars and hard-hitting drums. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought this was their original because of the night and day difference when it comes to the arrangement and how close it was to Red Skies Dawning’s Identity.
‘Dangerous’ has a stronger approach with its sixteenth note guitar riff and drum pattern. The approach is the same, starting with an electronic sample, then the in-your-face distorted guitar riff plus that quantized drum sound comes in.
In all my years of reviewing music, I’ve already come across artists that have the same style, but what made Red Skies Dawning different is its touch of pop-like vocal melody, and that’s a good thing! Skill-wise, I don’t have a say in that, but the real game is always about identity, and their Identity is standing out.
‘Shipwrecked’ is what I call the contrast child. It started with this post-hardcore kind of sound, because of that double time drum pattern, but worry less because when the chorus hits, it still has this pop-like theme to it that makes this track identifiable with Red Skies Dawning.
And ending the EP, we have ‘Paralyzed.’ What I specifically like about this track is that on the 1st verse, it’s just the vocals and the electric drum sample, but when the chorus hits, you can hear that signature Red Skies Dawning pop-like vocal melody mixed with that unforgivable but tasty guitar tone.
The ‘From Ashes’ EP by Red Skies Dawning is a masterclass in Identity and contrast. Pop-like vocal melodies to that heavy and face-melting guitar and drum tone with a touch of modern electronic elements. In theory, it should never work, but then again, music theory is more like a guide anyway.
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
