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Dead Heroes Club: A Time Of Shadow

Dead Heroes Club: A Time Of Shadow

Progressive Rock
Rating: 5.0/5.0

DHC Recordings
www.myspace.com/thedeadheroesclub
Review: Craig Hartranft,  08.02.2009

Everybody knows U2, but the next best (and big) thing out of Ireland could be the progressive rock band The Dead Heroes Club. Their second independently produced album, A Time Of Shadow, with cover by official Tolkein illustrator Ted Nasmith, is an well-crafted and elegant work of classic progressive rock. With a cursory listen it is abundantly clear where DHC finds its musical inspiration; the blood of Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Tull, Pink Floyd and others floods their veins. While the music is superbly composed, Dead Heroes Club is blessed with intelligent lyrics thanks to lead vocalist, lyricist and playwright Liam Campbell. As example, Campbell draws inspiration from fellow Irishman and poet W. B. Yeats for their song 'The Centre Cannot Hold.'

Within the musical composition, the emphasis seems three-fold: melody converging with Campbell's vocals, a healthy dose of keyboards especially reminiscent of old school Hammond organ, and a developed structure combining varied movements and tempos over an often atmospheric and mysterious foundation. Couple this with coherent lyrics and A Time Of Shadow becomes an profound (four of the six songs are over nine minutes long) and enjoyable accomplishment. Stranger in the Looking Glass and a Gathering of Crows are particularly magnificent and representative songs. An attention-deficit crippled generation raised on sound bites may have difficulty with the length of some pieces and may even, erroneously, find them derivative and repetitive. But, as always, this is the challenge of any progressive music when creativity and intelligence merge.

Finding Dead Heroes Club's A Time Of Shadow is a true delight. DHC combines impressive and creative progressive rock, steeped in the classic tradition, with brilliant lyrics to creative a distinct and enjoyable masterpiece. Highly recommended!

In Short

Finding Dead Heroes Club's A Time Of Shadow is a true delight. DHC combines impressive and creative progressive rock, steeped in the classic tradition, with brilliant lyrics to creative a distinct and enjoyable masterpiece. Highly recommended!

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