The Dear Hunter + Annuals + Steve Brodsky (Cave In) + Storm The Beaches  

October 25, 2009

Sunday 8:00pm

Detail: The Dear Hunter proudly presents "ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH". A continuum of the humanistic tale following an unnamed central character, ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH dives into the fractures of our nature--exploring generally darker subject matter than the previous two chapters of The Dear Hunter saga. At the core, the record examines the social landscape of war, set in a parallel universe during the time of World War One. As you delve deeper into the story, the album sifts through the heart and mind of its main character, known only as "the boy." He is thrust into battle at the height of the conflict, and encounters everything from an angel of death to his twin brother. With every song, a step in the boy's journey is represented. The album begins with the epic and haunting choir vocals of "Writing on a Wall," reflecting the cryptic message our hero sees written on a crumbled wall during battle. He is instructed to "come away...where the ground is red, and you need a mask to breathe." This chilling message summons the boy toward his fate, just as it heralds the listener to invest themselves fully in the listening experience that lay ahead. The powerful opening track serves as a call to arms for both our hero and the listener. The Dear Hunter, unbeknownst to many, is a self-contained operation, headed up by songwriter, producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and lead vocalist Casey Crescenzo. With production duties behind the boards shared with guitarist Andy Wildrick, this opus was conceived, hashed out, and recorded entirely in the band's studio in Providence, Rhode Island. Having undergone several line-up changes in the past, the band finally cemented its roster during the previous touring cycle, finding permanent and dedicated members in Erick Serna (guitar), Nick Crescenzo (drums), and Nate Patterson (bass). Perhaps one of the things sets ACT III apart from the band's previous efforts is the group contributions to the songwriting. The band also pulled out every stop when it came to instrumentation, bringing in musicians to contribute live strings, woodwinds, horns, and even harps.