‘Genres are stupid, why not just mix ‘em all together?, Carbon Dallas boldly ask. Fortunately, their debut album Elements offers up 10 tracks of “hip-hop-infused hard pop-rock” to make you ponder it a little less, but not scare you away.
The band consists of Guelph’s Brenin Edmunds on vocals backed up by a crew of Owen Sounders – Justin Angell on guitar, Shawn Schlorff on bass, Dave Fernandes on drums, and Curt Mathieu on drums/keyboards (who’s been in PEI and missing from the band photos). Their approach to genre-blending is calculated and formulaic as opposed to the old ‘stick in a blender and see what happens’ approach. The lead single Best Foot Forward is a great first step to get you acquainted with the band’s music. Hip-hop delivery in the verses and a huge chorus will have you nodding along before a mind-bending bridge leads into a whopping Justin Angell guitar solo built for an arena.
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Little Pills is another great example of the previously mentioned qualities. Lyrically, the song seems to tackle the subject of anxiety and addictions. “I bit my tongue before I spoke/I never talk before I smoke/My OCD still holds me back/halfway through a panic attack/ but I’m on my way to get better/it just depends on the weather/ whether or not I get better”, vocalist Edmunds sings until the band unleashes another heavy chorus reminiscent of similar Canadian hard-rock bands like Three Days Grace or Default.
Tracks like Fairweather Friends, Liar, and Left On Empty keep the ball rolling, but Hold On is a standout track for the band. The piano-driven song surprisingly isn’t a ballad and really puts a stamp on the album. The song also features a guest appearance courtesy of Bonds Of Mara singer Bryan Crouch whose vocals play off really well with Edmunds’. “I’ve burnt every bridge/I’ve met each demise/I call them attempts, redemptions, and tries/I’ve lost every friend/every acquaintance I’ve made/If there’s happiness had, there’s a price to be paid/I’m scarred and I’m bruised, I’m broken and bent/I’m rich in regret but I’ve spent every cent/I crawl on my knees and hope for the best, with prayer in my mind, and there’s hurt in my chest”, Edmunds sings displaying some serious lyrical chops!
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Another awesome element (insert wink emoji here) of this album is that it’s extremely DIY. Elements was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by the band’s bass player Shawn Schlorff, a pretty incredible feat for a band that’s only been together for 6 months!
Carbon Dallas has certainly delivered a road-ready album, but unfortunately their stage debut will have to wait a little longer. For now, their first single is available to stream and is available to pre-order digitally via bandcamp or physical copies can be acquired from angryunicorn.bigcartel.com.
Written by Russ Walsh
Photos provided by artist