DUST Listener Reviews

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by Fish Tacos »

psycosquirrel789 wrote:Once Dead and Betray Me have a cool vibes. Although too repetitive, I also like Tore My Heart Out.

The others were pretty unremarkable. Unable to See intro/outro was such a sore spot for me. If he was a better songwriter, that could have been a special song. The transition from the intro to the verse - laughable. This is what a lot of the "nay sayers" are referring to. Forget that its just a ripoff of Waters Rising's intro. Worse, is that its two absolutely random parts of music pieced together with no thought, no artistry, no cohesion - its a prime example of what he needs to work on.

His music isn't bad. Its just too pieced together, repetitive and stagnant. 2/5 for me.
Can you expand on the repetitive part? I get the piecemeal part because I know Mark has mentioned he writes that way sometimes, especially when he combines ideas with Myles, although as with a shirt and tie, some things pair well together so I don't think that's really a major issue (case in point with the Unable to See intro), it just stands out when it's an odd pairing. I don't understand the repetition part though as most songs are structured the same from other groups. Is it that you guys want stuff like Cry of Achilles and Fortress because those don't come around very often, I don't think it's really fair to expect 10 tracks like that. Just looking for some insight.

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by poshisjarker »

psycosquirrel789 wrote:Once Dead and Betray Me have a cool vibes. Although too repetitive, I also like Tore My Heart Out.

The others were pretty unremarkable. Unable to See intro/outro was such a sore spot for me. If he was a better songwriter, that could have been a special song. The transition from the intro to the verse - laughable. This is what a lot of the "nay sayers" are referring to. Forget that its just a ripoff of Waters Rising's intro. Worse, is that its two absolutely random parts of music pieced together with no thought, no artistry, no cohesion - its a prime example of what he needs to work on.

His music isn't bad. Its just too pieced together, repetitive and stagnant. 2/5 for me.
Based on what? Yeah you hear the same note at the beginning and the melody descends, but that's about it...they're not really all that similar in the way they're played, either. And they're such totally different songs stylistically in every way. Just saying. And dang man...that's...a strong opinion. No shame in that. You definitely walk your own path and i respect that. Just couldn't possibly disagree more. His music flows to my ears and i think the melodic progressions make sense. It's all good tho...i'm curious. Who are some of your favorite songwriters? Not trying to be sassy ;) . I'm legit intrigued
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by Timotheus »

In ILM the intro comes back in the bridge. Not exactly the same way, but the chords are the same. Try singing the bridge over the intro. The Unable To See intro is just super random. I don't dislike it (on the contrary), but it's got nothing to do with the rest of the song. It's just there, and then it isn't.
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

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Everyone is being so nice to each other. I like it.
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by poshisjarker »

Timotheus wrote:In ILM the intro comes back in the bridge. Not exactly the same way, but the chords are the same. Try singing the bridge over the intro. The Unable To See intro is just super random. I don't dislike it (on the contrary), but it's got nothing to do with the rest of the song. It's just there, and then it isn't.
I'll have to listen to it some more...i could've sworn it seemed to me like the vocal melodies somewhat follow the intro progression in parts. I could be wrong though...i've only listened to it twice. Lol but i'm not about to act like the intro the core of the song...it definitely is not. However, i do absolutely love it and i'm fond of beautiful guitar parts even when they're a bit random :D
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by Timotheus »

poshisjarker wrote:
Timotheus wrote:In ILM the intro comes back in the bridge. Not exactly the same way, but the chords are the same. Try singing the bridge over the intro. The Unable To See intro is just super random. I don't dislike it (on the contrary), but it's got nothing to do with the rest of the song. It's just there, and then it isn't.
I'll have to listen to it some more...i could've sworn it seemed to me like the vocal melodies somewhat follow the intro progression in parts. I could be wrong though...i've only listened to it twice. Lol but i'm not about to act like the intro the core of the song...it definitely is not. However, i do absolutely love it and i'm fond of beautiful guitar parts even when they're a bit random :D
Yea, I get why people like the song. I think it's got some nice lyrics and there definitely are some nice moments. I think I'm mostly annoyed that I'm not feeling it as much as some of you guys do, lol.
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by antiwal »

Probably stating the obvious - but I think it's erock doing the first solo on Once Dead, Mark's being the outro solo. Right guys?

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by SHEAKENBAKEN »

antiwal wrote:Probably stating the obvious - but I think it's erock doing the first solo on Once Dead, Mark's being the outro solo. Right guys?
Sounds like that's the case to me. Definitely Erock in the first solo.

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by RuRo »

Had a chance to listen to the album about three and a half times now, so my initial brief impressions (some of the opinions on certain tracks might change considerably with time though for all I know). I'll give ratings but they are purely for comparing between the different tracks.

My Last Mistake - I'll start by saying that I got Dust (the single) when it was released and listened to it a fair amount, but I only listened to My Last Mistake once or twice and avoided listening to any of the other songs as they were released so I would have more to enjoy when the album was released. So this is basically a fresh opinion for My Last Mistake, and I would say it is Tremonti at his metal best and an excellent opener to the album. This is probably the one that should have served as the traditional "lead single", and it'd probably be the best of them. 9/10

The Cage - I am very surprised that this one doesn't seem to be so well liked on here. I can maybe see its appeal fading a bit with time as it is fairly simple, but on a first impression this blew me away and may be my second favourite on the album. The fast riff and verses are pretty different to what Tremonti has done before and really energetic, the chorus is great, and that abrupt shift in direction to slow and heavy for the bridge is great, and the solo seems excellent. One of the standouts on first listen. 10/10

Once Dead - An excellent song. Reminds me a little bit of the heavier parts of All I Was (song), except this is that executed better. 9/10

Dust - I don't know if there's as much discussion about this song right now since everyone has had it for weeks... but this is the best song on the album. I am not sure if it was best suited to being the first single we heard from the album (kudos for releasing something different I suppose), being one of the few Tremonti songs without even a single heavy riff and leaning a bit towards the ballad style. But after many listens on its own and listening as part of the album, this is a standout song, it has a unique vibe, great melodies, an awesome solo and buildup, and excellent emotion. Should have kept its place as the album closer, really. 10/10

Betray Me - I really like this one. Quite typical Tremonti overall, but a shining example (also would have made a great lead single if they were only releasing one). "Remember hope, remember faith, remember trust" - simple but extremely evocative lyrics (reminiscent of "How could you ever deny I cared? I loved", and this was probably the part of the album that stuck in my head most after my first listen. Awesome and unexpected outro. 9/10

Tore My Heart Out - The first misstep of the album for me. It has good elements of course, but it's one of the few Tremonti songs (along with perhaps Doesn't Matter) I would say feels a bit boring - and not from a "this is similar to what we've heard before" point of view, but literally just not being too exciting to listen to. The chorus is just not that great and also feels like it is pretty long, and it gives the song a bit of a plodding kind of pace. Maybe it will take a lot of growing on me; a song like Dark Trip also had a chorus I wasn't 100% sold on and it took some time for me to appreciate that song as much as I do now (though I liked it much better on first listen than Tore My Heart Out), but I think this will definitely sit among the weaker tracks on the album for me. Nice solo and following riff at least. 6/10

Catching Fire - Immediately back to good stuff though. A quite different sounding heavy Tremonti song, excellent riffs in the verse and a strong chorus. And that bridge moment is one of his classic extreme bridges reminiscent of All I Was. Great outro. A really strong song. 9/10

Never Wrong - A different sounding, more classic rock vibe for Tremonti as others have mentioned. When remembering or describing the song I almost want to rate it lower than I do, but when listening to it I really enjoy it. The intro, verses and solo are good and provide a bit of lightness to an album that has been otherwise extremely heavy (other than Dust), and the chorus gives the song a bit of a twist and I find it very catchy. Probably not Tremonti at his best, but a good bit of variety for the album and done pretty well. 8/10

Rising Storm - I'll admit, even after 3 listens I struggle to remember much from this song apart from the excellent clean break in the middle, which leads into a solid solo. Maybe I will need more listens and to give it more attention (coming as it does at the end of an album full of comparable heavy songs) to enjoy it more, but it's definitely one of the weaker tracks since not much stands out about it. 7/10

Unable To See - A song like this stands out on the album purely for variety's sake - it's good to hear a nice clean intro and some quieter stuff. The overall impression of the song is good... but after a few listens it hasn't quite convinced me it's among the better ballads. The chorus does not stand out to me much yet, and I think a song like this really needs a strong chorus. The solo and intro / outro are the highlights of the song for me. 8/10

Track Rankings:
1. Dust
2. The Cage
3. My Last Mistake
4. Catching Fire
5. Once Dead
6. Betray Me
7. Never Wrong
8. Unable To See
9. Rising Storm
10. Tore My Heart Out

I think Dust still sits as the best song (I have heard it a lot more times, but for me I normally rank singles I know well lower than I eventually do when the album is first released). Not much in it between the next 3 or 4 songs for second best, I expect with more time I'll have a better idea of which of those I like best.

Overall impression: A solid album, I think I may favour Cauterize for the standout songs and variety but this one may be more consistent, particularly for the heavy songs. My Last Mistake, The Cage, Once Dead, Betray Me, Catching Fire are all top tier songs. Cauterize, Providence and Dust are right now my top picks from across Dusterize, so Mark has done a great jobs with his title tracks / album closers and psuedo-title tracks / album closers.
Last edited by RuRo on Sat Apr 30, 2016 6:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

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Wanted to wait a little bit to post my review, and after about 10 or so listens I feel pretty confident in this. I took some notes listening to the album as a whole for the first time with the new songs, so excuse the stream of thoughts. Includes my rating for each song and then worst-best ranking at the end.

My Last Mistake:
Big fan of the main riff; vocals in the verse kind of remind me of Disturbed as far as delivery, not a bad thing. Huge chorus, these vocals are amazing. Love the tempo change halfway through the second verse. Mixed feelings on the bridge, but it's immediately followed by a signature Tremonti solo. Good luck with that outro live Mark, sounds great here though. Awesome song and good way to start the album. 8/10.

The Cage:
Definitely understand the comparisons to Metalingus and ODR on steroids. Hell, I even hear it in the drums. First part of the intro is almost Metalingus to a tee, and then I hear Flip on ODR once the guitar comes in. Not a big fan of Mark's delivery in the verses, but it's something different. Not the best chorus either, but not the worst. Cool bridge and sick solo. Decent song. 6.5/10.

Once Dead:
Great team effort in the intro, everyone is firing on all cylinders. Love the feel of the verse, and definitely wasn't expecting that chorus! Awesome harmonies. Holy harmonic bridge riff, love it. Erock's tone is SO good on this song, killer solo. Glad Mark only sang that final chorus once and didn't repeat it like I was expecting. Mark's solo wasn't bad, but I much prefer Eric's solo here. Awesome song. 8/10.

Dust:
I've had the most time with Dust, so I may not be feeling it as much right now, but it's still an incredible song. Atmospheric throughout, and this one would feel right at home on an AB record. The lyrics are by far my favorite part of the song, hit me at the right time. Also contains an awesome bridge and arguably the best solo on the album. Once the other songs wear off on me a bit, this will go back to being one of my favorites. 8/10.

Betray Me:
Great riff, reminds me a little of Peace is Broken. The verses are awesome, and I really dig the lead line in the pre-chorus. Not digging this chorus though. Damn that adrenaline spike in verse two was awesome. Shrederrific solo, but Timo's right, not a fan of the end of it. Back to the average chorus unfortunately. Instrumentally this song is great, but the chorus holds it back. 7/10.

Tore My Heart Out:
Low Bb-tuned guitar riff, awesome. Reminds me of All Hope is Gone, especially in the verses with Erock's background guitar swells. And now I hear Bleed it Dry in the second half of the verse after Mark's vocal lines. Sick pre-chorus riff. Holy hell what a chorus, melody and harmony here is just unreal. Was not expecting that extra beat of silence before the second chorus, love it. Great solo, but I was expecting a little more after reading the listening party reviews. Agree with Timo again, they could've gone with the post solo riff as an outro and skip the 3rd chorus, it's a bit much. But it's so awesome, I'll take it. My favorite song so far. 9/10.

Catching Fire:
Doomy intro, I can feel the flames of hell on my skin listening to that guitar. One of my favorite guitar riffs on the album, but I'm not a fan of Mark's vocal delivery in the intro and verses. WOLFIE with the sick bass line in verse two, love it. Great chorus as usual. This bridge is unfreaking believable, might be the best minute-plus of riffing Mark has come up with. This last chorus is sick, he's really pushing that higher register. Originally wasn't blown away by this song when it was released, but it's grown on me more with every listen. 7.5/10.

Never Wrong:
I don't hear AC/DC in the intro, but I do hear a cross of Torn and New Way to Live, which is a good thing. Decent verse and chorus, but nothing special. Digging the vocals leading up to the instrumental section. Another signature Tremonti solo, can he write a bad one? I wonder who's singing the background harmonies in the chorus, dig them. Great vocals in the outro, wonder how that'll come across live. Nothing too special here, decent song. 6/10.

Rising Storm:
Tie The Noose is my least favorite Tremonti song from all 3 albums, and this is almost a carbon copy. Only thing missing is a few more major notes in the chorus. Tie The Noose 2.0? No thanks, I'll pass. Only a slight upgrade thanks to that clean bridge, moving on. 5/10.

Unable to See
Hey I remember that acoustic intro, love it! Such a beautiful piece, I do agree it's a bit random though when put together with the guitar strumming in the verse. This song really kicks into a higher gear at the end of the second verse. HOLY SHIT that second chorus. Mark and those harmonies just blew me away, outstanding vocals. One of my favorite Tremonti songs period, if not the favorite. Great solo and back to that beautiful acoustic line, awesome way to end the album. 10/10.

OVERALL RANKING
Based on the numbers (also how I would rank it)
10. Rising Storm
9. Never Wrong
8. The Cage
7. Betray Me
6. Catching Fire
5. Dust
4. Once Dead
3. My Last Mistake
2. Tore My Heart Out
1. Unable to See

As a whole, I feel this album is slightly stronger than Cauterize. It's much more consistent throughout, and my top 2 songs here beat anything from Cauterize. Props to Mark and the rest of the band for an awesome album, I highly enjoyed it. The vocals and guitar work are even better on this album. Can't wait to learn a lot of these on guitar and hear these live. Also a shoutout to Elvis, I think the mix is pretty solid throughout most of the album. Overall, I would give this album a very high 8/10 and now onto ABV!
Last edited by AHart96 on Sat Apr 30, 2016 8:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by \m/Tremonster\m/ »

1. Once Dead
2. My Last Mistake
3. Tore My Heart Out
4. Catching Fire
5. Rising Storm
6. The Cage
7. Dust
8. Unable to See
9. Betray Me
10. Never Wrong

So hard to rank these, because they are all so good! 9.5/10
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by Nick_917 »

This will most likely change a lot over the next few days, but here we go!

1. Dust - Everything about this song is great. I feel way more emotion on this song than I do on Unable To See (even though that one is still pretty good). And man, that solo! Definitely the best on the album in my opinion. Everything just clicked on this song to make it really special.

2. My Last Mistake - This is probably Mark's best song on the metal side of things. It has such a great atmosphere to it, and everything flows really well. My favorite parts are the second half of the second verse, and that awesome and unique solo.

3. Betray Me - This is easily one of my favorite songs on the album. The verses are really cool, especially when he turns it up to 11 in the second one, and I actually really like the chorus. "Remember hope. Remember faith. Remember trust." will be a line people will want to get a tattoo of.

4. Once Dead - I like this one because I had the chorus stuck in my head last night and didn't remember which song it was from. Usually it's the other way around. I like that they went for two solos. The first one was good but not over the top, and then the second one really made the song special. I especially love the bends Mark does near the end of it.

5. Never Wrong -
This is the Fall Again of the album in my opinion. Nice and simple. Not too hard and not too soft. I really like how the intro flows into the verses, and the drums really help make the solo one of the best on the album.

6. Rising Storm - If Never Wrong was the Fall Again of this album, then Rising Storm clearly is the Tie The Noose of this album. I really like the chorus. The verses are growing on me and have a bit of a Doesn't Matter vibe.

7. The Cage - This song really stands out to me after the first few listens. Really cool intro (ODR vibe as others have said), and Mark really tried something out of his comfort zone in the verses. The chorus might not be the best on the album, but I don't think it's that bad.

8. Unable To See - Really beautiful song. It's not my favorite softer song of Mark's, but it's still pretty good. Definitely an In Loving Memory vibe to it. I wish there was a little more to it though. I think Dust would have been a better closer to the album.

9. Catching Fire - Unlike most people, this song was one of my least favorites when I first heard the album all the way through. It's growing on me though. My favorite parts are the verses and the less metal part of the bridge that repeats at the end. Reminds me of the middle of Fortress.

10. Tore My Heart Out - Am I the only one who thinks the verse in this song is a ripoff of the verse in Dust? I also think the pre-chorus section that repeats again near the end is a little unnecessary. Other than that, I actually kinda like how the chorus "drags" as some would say. It reminds me of the bridges in Brains and Fall Again. Lets the song breathe. I also really like the instrumental part after the solo.
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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by cheesedip1 »

After some time letting the album settle.....I have decided to give my thoughts.

Even tho I have little to say.

Favorites would be The Cage, Once Dead, and Catching Fire.

The cage had cool solo.

Once Dead and Catching Fire are great becuz the songs dont drag. Every part of those 2 songs has something nice about it. No filler. Both songs have smooth transitions.


Tore my Heart Out was a grower, but it's actually got some pretty cool stuff going on. At first it bothered me cuz it just dragged at first.

I like the choruses of Never Wrong and Rising Storm. Never Wrong had cool drumming before the solo.

I think I might like the Cauterize album better.

Dust was pretty good.

Last Mistake/ betray me weren't amazing but weren't terrible either.

Unable to See had some parts which were great but also some parts which fell flat. Intro didnt seem to fit the song.


And hey, who knows, perhaps my mind will change over time, idk. It happens.

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Re: DUST Listener Reviews

Post by Mr. Slash »

cheesedip1 wrote:Intro didnt seem to fit the song.

Sure it fits the song. It's just weird that Mark pasted it only in the beginning and the end of the song. It would have felt much more organic if that riff would somehow appear during the (actual) song. Life Must Go On e.g. had a similar intro with the difference that it was flicked into the song which was pretty nice.
My problem with Unable To See is that just don't like that intro riff. It sounds like something you would hear on a children's music CD.

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