After the Canadians of 'Fatal Vision' who reformed in 2019, it is the turn of the Germans of 'Dreamtide' to return to the forefront of the melodic hard-rock scene after a last album, 'Dream and Deliver' in 2008. It must also be said that the leader of this formation, 'Helge Engelke', has been busy during all these years, because he also has another project 'Fair Warning' with which he released 3 albums during this long period. 'Drama Dust Dream' is therefore the fourth offering of the German combo and, what an offering: 12 compositions of good hard-rock for a short hour of listening which begins with a wild 'Stop Being Deep' which reminds me, in certain places, of their compatriots from 'Scorpions' ('Olaf Senkbeil' has some vocal similarities with 'Klaus Meine'), then, 'Spin' continues on this path and is for me the hit of the album that we play over and over again. And if you have already started the headbanging machine on these first 2 compositions, you should also be seduced by the energetic 'All Of Us', 'Merciless Sun' and 'Leisure Saints'. But, and that's why this album is worth the detour, the Germans alternate other atmospheres which bring a very pleasant diversity of styles: first of all, in a more moderate style, the hymns 'Around' and ' Drop The Curtain' can be enjoyed with a desire to sing along to the refrains. Then, the small acoustic breaks 'Ni Dos Ni Aqua' and 'A Fairy Prank' allow well-deserved breaks and the two ballads 'Dawn' and 'For the Fairies' (the latter takes us back a few decades) are to be added to the best melodic rock ballads. For lovers of a more refined style, you will certainly like 'One Rule' with its construction which flirts with melodic progressive, and which makes me think of the atmospheres of certain titles of 'Sting'. In summary, the Germans of 'Dreamtide' offer us a very beautiful album, dense and varied which can be tasted with great pleasure from the first to the last composition and 'Drama Dust Dream' is certainly the most varied album of this summery selection, mixing rock, hard-rock, ballads and little acoustic breaks with beautiful accessible melodies... | |
