EP REVIEW: Dreamcatcher – Rosen Bridge
Hailing from the otherwise unmentioned terrain of North Wales, Welsh metal outfit ROSEN BRIDGE have brought forth their sophomore EP, Dreamcatcher. Supposing to concentrate on bringing positivity into the world through their music, ROSEN BRIDGE have built upon their debut release. So, in the time they’ve been working on Dreamcatcher, how did they develop and what does the EP bring to the table?
The title track opens up the EP, and instantly you can tell that the band have a lot of potential, with the subtle uplifting melodies in guitar work definitely seeming to fit their purpose. Vocalist Antony Jones’ clean vocals fit the track excellently, with the lyrics “I’ve been turning in my sleep, because I’m not living my dreams” spinning in your head after you hear them. A beautiful solo towards the end alongside heavy riffs from Eddie Edwards and Marcus Williams give a promising start to the EP.
Never Grow is an incredibly touching track. A touching guitar intro preceding a riff and tremolo support Antony’s emotional lyrics, creating a moving atmosphere that you can’t help to connect to. Bringing in influences from the likes of YOU ME AT SIX and SIKTH, the band make for an interesting listen. While it’s still early days and the band can go even further with their sound, it’s a strong continuation of the base that they have developed. The record ends with Brand New, which brings an entirely new sound to the band’s repertoire. As opposed to being generally emotional and uplifting, Brand New takes a more dramatic, heavier turn. Displaying the band’s variety of styles, including drummer Rowan Jack’s thrashing in this track, gives more signs of a promising career ahead for ROSEN BRIDGE. Slight repetitiveness in the first three tracks hinder the record slightly, but it’s not enough to put you off, and Brand New shakes you out of the rhythm entirely, showing you a different side of the band. With a heavy metalcore sound and a mix of breakdowns and clean vocals, it’s an interesting listen that makes you just wanting more when the EP closes.
If their goal was to bring forth a feeling of self-reflection and discovery, while focusing on the positive side of life, ROSEN BRIDGE succeeds in that area. Their thought provoking lyrics and uplifting melodies place you into a different state of mind from where you began, which is a rare ability to pull off so early in a career. This EP is a fantastic insight of what’s to come from ROSEN BRIDGE. With Dreamcatcher, they’ve put North Wales on the musical map, and show what this side of the country really has to offer. Given their current trajectory, with a UK tour underway, it’s quite clear that these guys have a bright future ahead of them. It will be interesting to see where these guys go next, as they continue to develop and fine-tune their sound as their fan base grows.
Rating: 8/10
Dreamcatcher is set for release on May 12th via self-release.
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