Artist: Deadwood Forest
Title: Mellodramatic
Label/ Date: Deadwood Forest Music 2001 (reissued)

Tracks Listings

1. The Pioneer [6:49]

2. ------ [1:40]

3. OCD [2:48]

4. King of the Skies [7:32]

5. The City in the Sea 6:27]

6. Dry [7:02]

7. Stolen Smile [5:30]

8. ------ [:52]

9. The Ultraviolence [6:29]

10. Departure [2:35]

The Review:

the debut disc was first released in 2000 through Shroom but All Shroom copies were accidentally mastered in 80% mono since then in 2001 it was remastered and re-released on their own label, Deadwood Forest Music., so needless to say the new mix is MUCH better.
[footnote December 7th, 2001: "Deadwood Forest had complete control over the sessions and final mastering, with Mattias Olsson doing the mix-downs. Shroom assisted with the artwork only." Rich Shroom - Shroom Productions]

The disc is mainly instrumental with some vocal tracks, most songs are backed by a glorious mellotron/ hammond organ like soundscapes. A classic prog sound with "modern sensibilities". Ryan's vocals and guitar work is also very atmospheric.

The Stand Out tracks for this listener are "Yellow Line" (the first unnamed instrumental), just under two minute instrumental has all the elements of a prog epic which segues into OCD a nice Beatlesque melody meets early Genesis (Trespass) with soaring emotional vocals and matching mellotron/ keyboard flights.

"Dry", is a ballad with an endless building crescendo which to my ears, starts out sounding similar to Pink Floyd's "Fearless"

"Stolen Smile", is a tasty meld of funk, industrial and modern prog elements with some metallic guitar riffs all wrapped into one an a nice powerful ending.

"The Ultraviolence", here the band showcases a haunting dreamy soundscape to which I believe to be their signature sound.

Overall this band is one of the better new American prog acts of the new millenium.

I look foward to many more recordings from these guys in the future as well as seeing them at the inaugural ProgWest festival on November 10th, 2001

~Ron for ProgNaut.com [August 25th, 2001]

The Musicians:

Ryan Guidry: vocals and guitars

Andy McWilliams: drums

Kurt Coburn: bass

Mitch Mignano: keyboards

addition percussion: Mattias Olsson