Dream Aria

Dream Aria Fallen Angel Angela Macari O’Looney

Dream Aria are an interesting band who hail from Toronto, Canada. They play a Cocktail of Progressive Rock, Goth, Metal, and Classical music.

Members are Ann Burstyn –Vocals, Don Stagg – Keys, Garry Flint – Drums/ Engineer and Jon Casselman – Bass.

Fallen Angel is a crazy number which involves thundering guitars and complex harmonics. Distortion packed riffs and a fab rock beat feature in the first part of the song. However there is a beautiful break with a sweeter refrain and superb close harmony lifting the mood. This is delightfully light and fresh, but doesn’t last long and soon things return to the wild rock beat. Harmonies are amazing, becoming very haunting and quite weird. Keyboards throughout are dramatic. This music is certainly not for the fainthearted!

Gypsy Heart – Beginning with dialogue from an old gypsy woman, this number involves a superbly exotic melody line and beat.

Abstract Relations – More drama in this song, as the fast moving beat, astounding electronic riffs and crazy guitars create the perfect backdrop for the extremely complicated but addictive melody line.

There’s a fab lead solo in Tale of Two Wolves, which begins with a trickling guitar and laid back verse. A crescendo of harmony is sung, followed by a total change of pace and mood and things become dark for a while. The softer verse returns, but you know things will change again and they do!

The Illusionist This number alters from horror movie style chords to a much more laid back chorus that I really like.

Serpent Nile is suitably creepy, with rippling keyboards, exotic riffs and distortion laden chords throughout. A screaming lead solo features and a subtle key change in the chorus adds to the atmosphere.

Transcend Synth is brilliant in this song and the wonderful Ah refrain too! An excellent guitar solo also features.

Pandora’s Box reminds me of Kate Bush, with a twist of Hazel O’Conner thrown in. It’s probably my favourite number from this band’s repertoire.

Other songs from Dream Aria’s collection are Labyrinth, Rhythm of Now, and 11th Hour. The idea of so many different genres combined isn’t easy to get one’s head around. However, with the unbelievable vocal range of the singer, the astounding harmonies and voluminous instrumentals constant in each number, this band ooze class!