PIGEON LAKE - "Tales of a Madman" (dark rock/metal)

[pigeonlake]

Hi people! I'd like to share with you our debut album, "Tales of a Madman"!We are a 4-piece from Oslo, Norway, named Pigeon Lake, and we've just released our first full length phonogram. This is our coverart, resembling the chaotic enviroment of a troubled mind.. The album itself consists of 8 songs (one instrumental intro), drawing inspiration from bands like Opeth, Katatonia, Mastodon, He Is Legend, Alice in Chains and Deftones. I've added links to spotify and bandcamp, and we hope to hear what you think of our music! We've worked hard, and we are always keen to have som constructive feedback - and possibly earn a new fan or two!Spotify - Tales of a Madman by Pigeon Lake on SpotifyBandCamp - Pigeon LakeCan't wait to hear from ya!Chris // Pigeon Lakewww.facebook.com/PigeonLakeMusic (Sorry for the mess in the post, whatever I do I can't seem to make the formatting work properly. Can't skip lines, and the photo just sorta... sticks in there)

[FatherAlabaster]

Everyone is having formatting issues right now. The admin needs to give it some attention, I think. I really like your cover art, and I like nearly all of the bands you mentioned, so I'll give your stuff a listen when I get the chance.

[pigeonlake]

Ah, I see - it'll probably be sorted out, then.Cool, looking forward to hearing what you think!

[FatherAlabaster]

Alright, I listened to several tracks. I think the production is good, and there are some nice riffs in there, and textures strongly reminiscent of newer Katatonia. Maybe a touch of Opeth, though I didn't really get that or any sense of Deftones influence. I have to admit that the vocals aren't to my taste. I don't think they're badly done (although the lows sound a bit awkward to me and the harsh vocals seemed out of place), it's just a personal thing, the tone doesn't appeal to me. From an objective standpoint, I think your vocalist's melodic and lyrical choices don't stand out enough - they need to be more distinctive. Overall, I got the same impression from the songwriting. It's too "safe". I suppose that's the danger of working inside a rock format; more unique parts would work within the conventional structures, or alternately, unusual structures might bring out the best from otherwise predictable parts. It's obvious that you guys know what you're doing, but there's no edge here, no teeth in my opinion. I'm not saying it needs to be heavier; I just need something to really pull me into the songs. You've got a collection of decent songs here, nicely played. As such I imagine it will appeal to some people (and turn others off). What I think is lacking here is a really personal touch: disclosure. What are you really going to share, and how will you make it feel like it really matters?

[pigeonlake]

Thanks a lot for the constructive feedback! It's a relief to finally have some feedback on the vocals (as I am the vocalist), since that rarily happens. Melodically, some (or a lot) of the "safe" melodies are constructed on purpose. I am a sucker for catchy choruses and cheesy harmonies, and tend to drift towards it naturally. However, I'll take into it into consideration and try to experiment a bit more in the future. Lyrically I certainly have a lot to learn, no doubts there. I've only written lyrics for about 2,5 years, and I don't really write anything besides the lyrics that end up in the songs. In retrospect, it seems to me I might have treated the vocals more like an additional instrument more than anything, in terms of function. Might be off here, though. I see where you're coming from here. I am an adamant believer in uniqe part in conventional structure, OR unusual structures made of predictable parts. To my experience, doing unique/wierd parts in an unusual structure, usually results in listeners being dumbfounded and/or lacking any solid ground or memorable part of the song/music to hold on to. It's certainly a matter of taste, and I too listen to several artists/musicians doing wierd shit in wierd structures, but it just ends up being music for musicians. I'm not really sure I want the music I make to only be fully enjoyable, or fully translatable, to active musicians. With all that being said, I'm not denouncing your opnion in any way, as a lot the music is, as you say, safe (for a lack of better terms). I'm gonna take heed to what you say, and work it in to our new writing. Again, thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts on the music!