There's an eerie sense of Industrial-fused melancholy that instantly grips the listener from the moment you press play on "Spines of the Heart." For Classically trained musician Bryan Deister, it's safe to say that this is a clear departure from the sonic profile one might expect to come from a musician with such a background. There's a juxtaposition of genres and styles that's instantly apparent from the moment the album opener "All That I Have" echoes with its dark melodies and somber atmosphere. Not quite as dark as some of Nine Inch Nails' early work, but certainly flowing through that same vein.
"Responding Well" takes on a more melodic approach while still managing to maintain that sense of morbidity and foreboding. Deister's vocalization sits in the upper register, which adds another contrast of higher pitched, almost angelic vocals against the dark backdrop of the instrumentation. The track hits heavily toward the middle with drums that add a distinct "punch" to the track and break up the otherwise slow tempo quite nicely.
It's clear by this point in the record that Bryan Deister is a musician not easily classified, and it's also apparent that that's just the way he prefers it. "In Her Eyes" takes on an a'capella vibe, as Deister's secondary vocals account for the bulk of the "instrumentation" outside of light percussive elements.
Despite the fact that the music is melodically in line with the macabre, the Classical influences are certainly noticeable throughout. If Celldweller or Nine Inch Nails unplugged their guitars and swapped them out for a keyboard and an almost lounge/unplugged feel, they'd come up with something very similar to what Deister presents his listeners with on "Spines of the Heart."
While this record certainly isn't mainstream (and is more Indie than even most Indie records are), it's definitely worth a listen if you're looking to wind down with something outside the box and outside of your average listening comfort zone.
"Spines of the Heart" is one large-scale sonic experiment, and even though much of the album's 22 tracks are largely hit or miss, there are certainly some real hidden gems scattered throughout that make this a worthwhile listen.
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