Monday, Dec. 10, 2007

From the Dust, this time around

Take a seat as AtomicTown sits down with the rock group From the Dust to catch up with their lives since September.

Joking they're a "real band with two guitars and everything" the group is completing their first independent album.

In case you forgot, the four-man band consists of Al Craddock on vocals and guitar, Chris Plummer on bass, Travis Sawada on guitar and Ryan Tidrick on drums. With some new tunes in the bag, From the Dust is gearing up for First Night on New Year's Eve, replacing fellow alternative rock band Mister Orange who had to drop out of the lineup.

"It's nice to have an all-ages show," Plummer said. "We expressed an interest and found out we were too late to get in on [First Night], so word got around that we were interested and then when Mister Orange dropped out, they actually hit us up for it. It was a nice word of mouth turn of events."

Tidrick describes learning about them playing the show while driving and said he almost crashed his car at the news.

"First Night is one of the biggest events all year," Craddock adds. "And it's at the beginning and at the end of the year."

Fans of melodic rock paired with clever lyrics will enjoy their latest songs up on their MySpace.

Honing in their bad ass rock side, Gasping For Air is about the Civil Rights Movement and puts listeners in the middle of a riot: Hold my head down/No not again/I'm gasping for air. Craddock's vocals are eerily lilting, then full of intensity to match Sawada's climaxing riff on the guitar. Tidrick pulls off what could be considered the sound of a heart that is being pumped full of adrenaline, due to the person engaged in the riot.

King follows Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963. Plummer's verve mixes well with the rest of the group's vigor throughout the song. Craddock briefly channels Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha, singing: I have seen the mountain top/This is one voice that you can't stop.

Serotonin strays from their heavier sound and takes listeners to a more mellow place: Nothing is as it seems/And I can't ignore these dreams/And I don't know what I may find/It's all in my mind.

Fans will be able to pick out their influences from Flyleaf, Chevelle, and the Deftones.

Their penetrating sound has matured just over the past few months, something that is making other bands take notice and want to collaborate.

However, some things never change. The group still hangs out with Nerdcore artist Beefy on a regular basis, playing Magic the Gathering, or watching movies together. They still pick on Tidrick, dubbing him their "emo" drummer. They are still quick to point out that Sawada is indeed half-Asian. Their playful personalities have not taken a back seat to creating a powerful album.

"We're basically the only band that's still together in the Tri-Cities," Craddock joked.

It may be a little early to say that this band has what it takes to make it in the long run. Time will only tell if these guys will transpire into more than just dust.

For more information on upcoming shows, check out their MySpace Page