The Sacramento experimental band Sages is no stranger to the stage—having collectively shared the light with legends such as Papa Roach, Atreyu, My Chemical Romance, and Fall Out Boy. The distinctive band is comprised of Dino Vidovich as Lead Vocals/Guitar/Songwriter, Mike House on Guitar, Ryan Cavalli also on Guitar, Logan Gameson on Drums/Vocals/Percussion, and Matt Franks as Bass/Vocals. On February 10th, 2017, they’ll be releasing their most recent album, Sleepwalker. Get ready for one hell of a sound.
The title song is haunting—with beautifully crafted lyrics and a unique sound that feels like a combination of the Deftones, 30 Seconds to Mars, a few Dark Fantasy movie soundtracks, and a few heavy metal bands all tossed together. The remainder of the album follows suit—with eerie tones, metal, and inventive and creative lyrics. Vidovich, Gameson, and Franks’ voices all mesh perfectly, leaving an evocative yet energetic sound behind while the instrumental portion is on-point, echoing the harmonies nicely.
While not each song contains the heavy metal element, there is just enough within the album to keep everybody happy. Songs such as On My Way, With You, and Sleepwalker fit more into the haunting, eclectic category; while Come With Me, Save Yourself, and What The Hell kick off with an edgier, slightly more mainstream feel. Each song contains a fierce side to it but manages to maintain the otherworldly touch which makes the album stand apart from the mainstream hard rock/heavy metal.
For me, the poignant tracks—the eerier, more haunting sounds—resonated deeper, giving me a profound connection to the songs. While the heavier songs were still great, I felt as if the band’s niche truly lay with the weighty, lingering sounds of tracks such as the title track—Sleepwalker.
All in all, I’ve enjoyed the album and I’m looking forward to seeing more of this unique band in the future.
Rating: 4.5/5
