I like progressive rock because it tends to be less formulaic than other genres of music. You never know what to expect musically or lyrically. The Dear Hunter's new album Act III: Life and Death couldn't be any further from formulaic. It's easily one of the freshest and most original albums I've heard in years.
While this is my first exposure to The Dear Hunter, I would describe their sound as a combination of the high drama and big sound of Muse with the narrative and thematic elements of Coheed and Cambria. Where Coheed and Cambria have woven a science fiction epic, The Dear Hunter follows a protagonist through World War I. Act III is the third album in a six act series.
The Dear Hunter's sound is a bit difficult to describe as I don't know of any similar sounding contemporaries. They're a rock band, but on this album the instrumentation is amazingly varied and perfectly integrated. An array of horns, strings, piano, and electronic sounds are arranged creating a unique sound that at times comes off like a musical or Broadway soundtrack. Much of the music has a Vaudeville undercurrent which fits the period of the story.
After opening the CD case with its faux leather book appearance and aged postcards for each song, I felt like I was about to embark on an adventure. The opening track, "Writing on the Wall" , starts with accapella harmonies that are later joined by a piano. It sounded like a precursor for something really big. Next, "In Cauda Venenum" follows with its bombastic, sonic assault that drops you and the fictional character right there on the front lines. Like a rocked-out Broadway production the song features a choir, an explosion of horns and guitars, and lead singer Casey Crescenzo's strained almost screaming delivery. "In Cauda Venenum" blew me away on my very first listen. "The Tank" and "Mustard Gas" are a pair of less intense, but still very dramatic tracks that continue the high drama.
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