The '90s saw the rise of two very different responses to hardcore. One was metalcore, a totally ferocious style that thrives on sensory assault for the sake of sensory assault. The other was screamo, a more forgiving style that balances the brutal and the melodic. But falling into one category doesn't necessarily mean being oblivious to the other, and this
Dry Kill Logic outing underscores that fact. Dead and Dreaming is, first and foremost, a metalcore disc; those who appreciate the harshness and ferocity of
Brick Bath,
Throwdown or
Hatebreed should have no problem getting into vicious, hammer-to-the-skull offerings like "The Perfect Enemy" and "Paper Tiger." However, there are traces of screamo on Dead and Dreaming;
Dry Kill Logic does incorporate some of the extreme vocals/clean vocals contrast that is one of screamo's trademarks. But the clean vocals are really an afterthought on this 2004 release; Most of the time, lead vocalist Cliff Rigano favors angry, cathartic, death-all-over-your-face screaming -- and more often than not, Dead and Dreaming is a nasty, cruel sledgehammer of an album. The only real mercy comes at the end, when
Dry Kill Logic chills out, unplugs and goes acoustic on a hauntingly melodic ballad titled "No Reason." After whipping listeners senseless during the ten previous songs,
Dry Kill Logic reveal another side of themselves with a tune that wouldn't be out of place if
Default,
Live or Creed recorded an acoustic set. Along the way,
Dry Kill Logic has had some lineup changes; on Dead and Dreaming, the 2004 lineup unites original members Rigano and Phil Arcuri (drums) with more recent additions Jason Bozzi (guitar) and Danny Horboychuk (bass). But stylistically, the band hasn't changed -- and for metalcore enthusiasts, Dead and Dreaming offers an enjoyably solid and focused, if somewhat predictable, dose of sensory assault. ~ Alex Henderson