Dustland
Downing In Decay

I bet you don't know them! Raise your hand if you've ever heard of them...okay, fine, I'll stop showing off and be serious. The Dustland are (or rather were) a young underground band from Calabria a few years ago, of which I own this demo CD because I knew them personally, and with that, I've revealed the reason for my boasting. You're probably wondering: why review this demo CD? Who the hell cares about three unknown idiots! Simple, I own it and the review on DeBaser doesn't exist, the same reason as all the other reviews. And then, I'm doing this review with my heart because I was attached to the group in question, and I actually believe that I will review other albums from emerging groups since I know a few of them.

A very short story for Dustland, who formed in 2000 and disbanded in 2003/2004 for reasons still unknown, even to those who know them personally, perhaps even to themselves. They released this demo after about two years of rare (on average one every 10 days) sessions in the rehearsal room and three live performances. The demo contains five tracks out of the eight ever composed by the group in its short and slowed down "career". Recorded live in one day, the only overdubs made are the bass ones, as due to the lack of a bassist, the two guitarists took care of playing the instrument in question. Obviously, everything (needless to say) like most demos, is self-produced. Although the demo isn't technically outstanding, it conveys enthusiasm, a desire to get things done, and it aptly represents what music made for passion and not for a living is about. Ancient sounds that echo the NWOBHM of the early '80s, contaminated with all subsequent metal evolutions, that's what "Downing In Decay" contains. The opener "Dark Lady" is captivating although not very original, the melody in "Mercenary Knight" is excellent with a great guitar solo at the end (this song is inspired by the comic Brandon, the Dustland were mentioned in an issue of the comic in question, but I can't tell you which one because I don't have it on hand, but it's likely from the first half of 2003). More thrash is the track "Chosen One", very power/classic "Floating in Virgin Skies", and finally, martial and paced with an interlude of ultra-pogo riffs concludes "Oblivion", perhaps the most mature track on the entire album. The production is decent, even though it was practically "homemade" and with very limited means.

Knowing a band personally, seeing it come to life, witnessing its evolution, and then seeing its end (unfortunately) is something unforgettable. The passion, the drive to do things when you're young, coupled with friendships (which sometimes end badly) and the sentimentality that the place where things happen can create, can truly make a life experience unique. This is what comes to mind when thinking about Dustland. Perhaps most of you (in fact all of you) will never listen to this album, but I don't care, this is the story I wanted to tell you and I did. This was my inspiration. Unfortunately, their website no longer exists, otherwise I could have provided it as a link for more detailed information, but I've settled for one of the many reviews published for this demo.

PS. About the issue of Brandon I mentioned earlier, if you go looking for it, you'll find it says they were from Catania. Well, that's bullshit, the three were from Villa S. Giovanni (RC).