This is the second of Gary Dranow’s songs that I’ve reviewed, and it’s a marked departure from the last one I heard, “Golden Child.” The divergence from that earlier song – a softer rock track, is remarkable; “The Cry of War” is an epic metal song in the style of classic, fist-pumping 80s metal anthems. This variation of genre is perhaps not surprising given Dranow’s varied personal history. This is, after all, a man who went from being a professional skier to a rock band frontman. He’s clearly interested in exploring life in many ways, and that comes through in the music as well.
Now to the song itself. “The Cry of War” is a heavy rock banger that grabs your attention from the get-go with a thunderous, chugging, drum-heavy section that repeats throughout the song with few significant variations. The vocals, presumably provided by Dranow (there is no indication; however the vocalist on “Golden Child” was Caspar Aesthetic) are powerful and emotive, and the song is replete with blistering guitars and an overall unrelenting instrumentation that absolutely immerses and overwhelms you as a listener. This song aims to be an absolute sonic powerhouse from start to finish – all five and a half minutes of it.
The vocals and instrumentals on this song showcase considerable talent. The former, as I mentioned, are intense, cutting through the mix with a formidable presence. The lyrical content, describing an epic struggle of “three generations’ plight” is grand and deserving of the performance it receives. The latter is relentless; the guitars chug and chug, the lead guitar sections burn, and the solo absolutely soars. The song maintains a high level of energy throughout, which is maybe a bit fatiguing, but I understand that that’s the point here. This song is about epic struggle, and the experience of listening to it is meant to be more or less that.
As with “Golden Child,” the production of “The Cry of War” is high-quality, recalling the sound of 2000s-2010s heavy rock. It’s polished, it’s powerful, and the sense of conflict and urgency described in the lyrics is reflected in the absolute blast of sound that is this song’s sonic palette. The guitar tones are perfectly dialed in, the drums hit hard, there’s a repetitive cinematic impact sound underlying the instrumentation, and the mix is well-balanced.
This is a mosh pit song. This is an angry song. This is not a relaxing song. This is a song that will grab you and throw you around sonically, and doesn’t apologize for doing so. Personally, I’m not the audience for this kind of music, but I know that that audience does exist, and Dranow is catering well to it. I’m left wondering what I’m going to hear from him next. Will it be shoegaze? New Wave? Punk? This versatile artist has shown that he could go in any direction and do it effectively, that much is for sure.
Listen to "The Cry of War" on Spotify here -
You can check out Gary Dranow’s (band) website here:
A brilliant addition to the repertoire -
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