#284 days

[grantwilson]

we're starting the countdown, lads. not even joking. you will see this post every day for the next 284 days. i am so fucking excited.

[convolusion]

One day I'm sure it will all come together.

[dronenrocks]

Dronen: 284 Days EP

Dronen Never Sleeps 

Album: 284 Days EP  Artist: Dronen Label: Self-released US Release Date: 2015-02-03 UK Release Date: 2015-02-03

Southern California band Dronen brings choice cuts of meat to the table with their new EP, 284 Days. Essentially, you’re gonna get so much from this EP if you have a soft spot for the proposition of early Radiohead having a love child with Neil Young at his grungiest. Heck, final song “Lights Out” kinda sounds a bit like “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)”. Ergo, while there’s nothing terribly groundbreaking here, those who miss Thom Yorke’s wails and moans against, you know, actual guitars plugged in, are set to really gain something monumental from this release. For an EP, it is well constructed and has a sense of “togetherness” that many short albums lack – it really feels like Dronen has structured its sound and done a bang up job of it.

Each of these five songs could easily make its way to a playlist, but the thing that is encouraging about many of them is that they’re not afraid to jam out. Three of the five tracks eclipse five minutes, and nothing is shorter than four-and-a-half minutes. So there’s epicness on this EP. That kind of inability to rush thing really works in Dronen’s favour because they do have the riffage to plow things forward. And, man, for an indie rock release in 2015, 284 Days is pretty darn heavy in sound. So, again, the best descriptor of this is one of “meatiness”. While the EP doesn’t feel wholly original, which is a liability, the songs are generally good enough for those who simply want to take a nostalgic trip back to the days when Radiohead hadn’t discovered the laptop yet. This is straight forward, straight ahead material, and should swiftly become a favourite for those who simply love guitar rock.

Rating: 7 outta 10

[dronenrocks]

Dronen - 284 days

Dronen  284 Days self-released; 2014 

3.6 out of 5 

By Ted Rogen

Dronen is a three-piece band from California made up of Daniel Olivas (vocals, guitar), Victor Aguilar (bass) and Carlos Chevez (drums). They recently released their second effort entitled 284 Days, which tips its hat to early ‘90s alternative music while simultaneously creating their own sound.

One of the first things I noticed was how big their sound was despite very few overdubs. The band is able to create a dynamic, energy-filled journey through the five songs by incorporating subtle effects and inventive changes. I was impressed by some of the sounds Olivas was able to get out of his guitar. It was obvious to me that he took some time getting the right tone. You hear everything from high sustained leads, to crunchy rhythms and even some seriously tweaked manipulative effects like chorus, delay and reverb.

The band kicks things off with “The Loss Of All Things Real.” It starts off with jagged strategically placed distorted guitar chords in which you hear the reverb and rails slowly dissipate as Olivas sings, “when i lost my head i was only mad reservations in love the conservation of luck so i wrote my friend and it's what he said that you are never alone you are never alone.”

About a minute in the band unleashes and I was reminded of the same guitar tone that Billy Corgan got on Siamese Dream. Olivas’ vocals are a mix between a nasally angst and a cathartic release. His voice often comes to boiling points where are you can hear him pushing it as hard as he can.

“Analog Pathogens (Digital Remnants)” starts with impressive tom work and reverb laced guitars. It’s a tumbling verse that starts to sizzle once the distorted power chords are introduced. The band continues to impress with the last two tracks “Tonight” and “Lights Out.” “Lights Out” is arguably the most infectious song out of the five.

284 Days isn’t reinventing the wheel but it does deliver well-written songs from a band who knows how to deliver them. Recommended.

[dronenrocks]

Listen To Dronen's New EP, '284 Days'

"The band will self-released 284 Days tomorrow; it’s a cool collection of loud riffs and uncomfortably affecting vocals—there’s muscular moments in it that remind me of Songs For The Deaf-era Queens of the Stone Age, and others that oddly recall Devil and God-era Brand New. It works."

[dronenrocks]

Dronen '284 Days' (album stream)

Get your first listen of Dronen’s ‘284 Days’ EP right now via Exclaim! Album drops tomorrow but you can order your copy today at http://dronen.bandcamp.com

[dronenrocks]

284 Days CDs just came in today! So we made a stop motion video showing them off. Pre-order yours at http://dronen.bandcamp.com - The official release date is February 3rd, 2015 and quantities are super limited.

[dronenrocks]

Dronen || The Loss of All Things Real

when i lost my head i was only mad  reservations in love  the conservation of luck  so i wrote my friend and it's what he said  that you are never alone  you are never alone  so i cut my threads like that's all they meant  but we were common enough  and we know better than to love  so i did my part but it was a false start  still we are common enough  we are common enough  then i thought maybe it was only me  a hesitation of blood  but hesitation's enough  so i broke my heart  watched it fall apart  still we are never alone  i am never alone

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FFO: The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, 90's alternative rock