It’s a great idea to get angry. It’s even better if you make a habit of it, and wonderful if you can find a suitable soundtrack for it. But, be warned, you must make sure that whenever those feelings stir, you get rid of all of the anger within you. Fail to do that and, inevitably, you’ll end up sabotaging yourself.
In other words, you have to be smart about how you manage your anger. You have to learn to use this energy to your advantage. And, as someone with plenty of experience in this particular arena, I would advise creating strategies and learning to use music as one of your greatest allies.
Most heavy rock bands are expected to show grit, determination, and display anger. How many of them really mean it? Red Skies Dawning, with their new EP, “From Ashes,” are determined to prove that they do mean it, are willing to take risks for what they feel, and are capable of regrouping after trials and tribulations.
But just what’s the approach? Red Skies Dawning recognises that heavy music has to keep up with the times. Distorted, unpolished thrash metal or lo-fi black metal may have done the trick at some point. However, that point in time was nearly four decades ago.
Instead, the band goes for a modern approach. Take, for example, the opening track, “Where You Been?” where melodic, heavily processed vocals blend with big-sounding guitar riffs and elastic, pumping bass lines.
The trick for this kind of brand of metal is anger blended with restraint. The songs are tough, but emotion-filled. Songs like “Obvious” contain dynamics where the electro-driven intro moves to a moody verse narrating the troubles that the lyricist is fighting to overcome, and a melodic, rousing chorus that provides the payoff.
It’s a formula that works and that is used, in various forms, across the record. For example, “Dangerous” is a song that contains clear pop hooks, especially with those backing vocals, but also a track that brings in nu-metal-styled riffs and electronic percussion. Meanwhile, “Shipwrecked” is driven by an almost power-metal beat, at times, but most of the vocals could as well be part of a pop-punk production.
And, in fact, the approach is deemed strong enough that it is applied to the group’s cover of the immortal “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” with the band’s musical identity shining true, especially in the famous “La La La” outro chant.
Where does it all leave us? A little angry and, hopefully, energised enough to start to rebuild ourselves in spite of our fears. The EP’s closing track, “Paralysed”, echoes these doubts and hopes over an almost trip-hop and metal hybrid. If you’ve made it through until the end, there’s a very good chance that you’ve accomplished something very important – used your negative energy in a positive way, just as Red Skies Dawning has also tried to do with this collection of tracks.
