Review Summary: "I'm the devil. You didn't know that?"
Dreams are often quite intriguing, never feeling real at all - but your mind thinks otherwise. Alternating between odd relaxation and utter chaos, a dream can turn on you in the blink of an eye.
From the Gallery of Sleep is no different. As the title implies, the concept and sound revolve around the progression of dreaming. Interestingly enough, each and every intricacy succeeds in making such a surreal experience almost completely auditory. Fluid in tone, Night Verses have crafted an instrumental masterpiece, invoking a chilling sense of sleeping with a conscious mind.
Ranging from distortion to reverb, the guitars are what truly transport the listeners into another dimension; a dimension of musical creativity. The technicality of which Nick DePirro composes his progressions is outstanding. Utilizing almost every possible guitar technique (tapping, sweeping, harmonics, etc.),
From the Gallery of Sleep oozes with diversity, similar to the wide-range of scenarios, sensations, and situation which are encountered with dreams. Regardless of the method at hand, the strings are swiftly maneuvered about, producing riffs of both aggression and relaxation alike; chaotic madness and chill jazz. The variation among the melodies of the guitar is actually what makes this album succeed in its intentions, imbuing the sensation of this hallucination deliberately controlled by the band members themselves. Accompanying Nick DePirro is Reilly Herrera, embedding the bass into the mix to support. Although subtle in nature, the bass acts as a baseline, holding together the entire dream - still furthering the surrealism while anchoring itself in the "natural" ways of music. Without many added effects, Herrera maintains the tone of the album, applying multiple techniques of slap and muted bass which amplify the tonality of
From the Gallery of Sleep's atmosphere, simply aiding the structure.
Tying everything together is the rhythmically gifted, Aric Improta. The groove, speed, and originality portrayed through his drumming is remarkable. The fluctuation between double-bass reliant beats to jazz-influenced grooves is executed seamlessly among the multiple tempo changes found throughout the duration of the album. However, not only does Improta show an abundance of talent through his drumming but also through the use of electronic elements. The entire album was created not only to show off creativity of songwriting and composition, but to take those elements to the live shows and actually succeed in performing them. Improta's use of electronic synths and microphone affects surrounding his drumset magnifies the aura of the vibrant, extravagant dreaming sensation portrayed throughout.
The combination of each asset, surreal and natural, is what makes this album breathtaking. Gathering the dynamic guitar with the anchoring bass tied together with the dominant drumming is what gives this album the surrealism ingrained throughout. Night Verses, in the midst of losing their vocalist, have created a masterpiece; one of thought-provoking instrumentals that tell a story themselves. The lack of actual vocals is what this album symbolizes, a dream in which you can't remember what you've heard but know what you've felt. This album is a sensation that only comes around every once in a while in the music industry, enjoy it while it lasts.
