Sammary - The Dream (CD)

Slowly but surely, it's time to write it down: a year and a half ago, the Rhine-Main-area band Sammary released their debut album, "Monochrome." The band consisted of nineteen-year-old Sammy Wahlandt, who composed and wrote all the lyrics and played all the instruments, as well as three female singers. Today, Sammary is releasing their second album, "The Dream," in which Sammy Wahlandt has stepped back to drums and brought in five musicians, four of whom are around 20 like him, and one is in his mid-50s, which is understandable, given that this is his father, Jörg. Of the three female singers, only one remains: Stella Inderwiesen, who now handles lead vocals alone. Sammy Wahlandt once again wrote the songs, but this time not entirely solo, as he composed one track together with the new synthesizer man, Ivan Khobta, and one was written by one of the two female singers from the first album, who is no longer with the band. Got it? Start again? No, better put the CD in the player and press play, because it's worth it!

The track "Cascades" opens the album with a thumping intro without noise reduction. The excellent guitarist Marvin Kollmann, who also produced the album, immediately demonstrates his skillful and courageous handling of the guitar strings. In quieter passages, it becomes clear that singer Stella, despite or perhaps because of her training as a jazz singer, is able to superbly support the complex structure of Sammary's music. Despite the heavy pace, the track remains melodic. Initial echoes of Porcupine Tree are not coincidental, as mastermind Sammy Wahlandt is a big fan of Steven Wilson. The following "Trance" serves as a platform for Stella Inderwiesen to unleash the gold in her throat. The track sounds exhilarating without sacrificing musical complexity. That a 1-year-old could have written something like this is incredible. The purely instrumental "Oscillation," despite its short length (40:XNUMX minutes), is truly a treat for the ears. Despite its walls of guitars, "Voices," with its diverse musical components, is a melancholic piece that emerges from the speakers as atmospheric rather than harsh. Rarely has anyone outside of Steven Wilson's circle come closer musically to Porcupine Tree! The following "The Game" sounds more restrained and elegiac, featuring the singer in high registers; on "Rotations," her vocals are angelically delicate. The subsequent title track, "The Dream," contrasts this with a driving rhythm and amplified guitar, creating a somber atmosphere. Beginning delicately and atmospherically, before switching to widescreen art rock and back again, the album draws to a close with "Eulogy for a Dream." The closing track, "Awake," caresses the listener out of the album with a club atmosphere consisting of vocals and piano sounds.

In conclusion, there can only be one conclusion: if you're into art rock, "The Dream" is a must-have! This style of rock is rarely heard at such high quality.

01 Cascades
02 Trance
03 Oscillation
04 Voices
05 The Game
06 Rotations
07 The Dream
08 Eulogy For A Dream
09 Awake