Dronen

You hear those over-driven guitars? Pummeling rhythm section? Angst-y yowls? It’s 1995 calling, in the form of Orange County trio Dronen. The band — Daniel Olivas, Victor Aguilar and Carlos Chevez — announced their presence in 2013 with the album “Digital Pathways (Analog Pathogens),” which served as something of a shout-out to the radio giants of the 1990s, and their fans. The follow-up is an EP titled “284 Days” (due Feb. 3) — which, owing to various complications and life’s curveballs, is the amount of time it took the trio to make the recording. Going on two deacdes after grunge and its neo- variants plays themselves out, this music still feels like flannel, and Dronen wears it pretty well. - See more at: http://www.buzzbands.la/2014/12/15/ears-wide-open-dronen/#sthash.lnj48x1a.dpuf - Kevin Bronson

Southern California band Dronen brings choice cuts of meat to the table with their new EP, 284 Days. Essentially, you’re gonna get so much from this EP if you have a soft spot for the proposition of early Radiohead having a love child with Neil Young at his grungiest. Heck, final song “Lights Out” kinda sounds a bit like “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)”. Ergo, while there’s nothing terribly groundbreaking here, those who miss Thom Yorke’s wails and moans against, you know, actual guitars plugged in, are set to really gain something monumental from this release. For an EP, it is well constructed and has a sense of “togetherness” that many short albums lack – it really feels like Dronen has structured its sound and done a bang up job of it.

Each of these five songs could easily make its way to a playlist, but the thing that is encouraging about many of them is that they’re not afraid to jam out. Three of the five tracks eclipse five minutes, and nothing is shorter than four-and-a-half minutes. So there’s epicness on this EP. That kind of inability to rush thing really works in Dronen’s favour because they do have the riffage to plow things forward. And, man, for an indie rock release in 2015, 284 Days is pretty darn heavy in sound. So, again, the best descriptor of this is one of “meatiness”. While the EP doesn’t feel wholly original, which is a liability, the songs are generally good enough for those who simply want to take a nostalgic trip back to the days when Radiohead hadn’t discovered the laptop yet. This is straight forward, straight ahead material, and should swiftly become a favourite for those who simply love guitar rock. - Zachary Houle

Rock 'n' roll is dead. Or is it? California trio Dronen would probably have a lot to say on the subject—at least in how it pertains to their own mid-'90s rock aesthetic. Guitar riffs caked in distortion and thudding percussion pay homage to bands like Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins without sounding derivative, but still manage to appropriate these familiar sounds into something that is wholly their own. The band's latest release, a five-song EP called "284 Days," is set to come out Feb. 3.
For their first single, the barn burning "The Loss of All Things Real," the band pairs skyscraper-sized riffs against singer Daniel Olivas' howling voice and comes away with one of the hardest-hitting songs of the year. Aiming for your ribs but finding the center of your heart, this song punches like a jackhammer—all thrashing melodies and unstable patterns. Dronen churns and chugs along on a bed of splintered guitar necks and broken drumsticks. And when they hit that sweet grungy sound, you'll be cranking up the volume and rolling down the windows before you know what's going on. - Joshua Pickard

When they first started, Dronen amassed a seemingly never-ending catalog of new music, but most of those songs never got past the demo stage and their trusty 4-track cassette recorder. One day, the southern California alt rockers finally had enough cash to enter the studio, and they knocked out four songs in four hours, creating their official debut EP.

As time has passed, the band’s presence continues to grow — and their fan base right along with it — all leading up to the release of their latest EP, ‘284 Days.’ Set to hit the streets in February, today (Jan. 16) Diffuser is beyond thrilled to give you a taste of what to expect with the brand new track, ‘Lights Out.’ Check it out in the audio player below.

“I wrote this song entirely in my head while sitting in a car,” frontman Daniel Olivas tells us. “I couldn’t wait to get home and figure out the chords! We’ve always loved the raw energy of playing ‘Lights Out’ live, and I really think we captured a lot of that energy in the recording, which isn’t always easy.”

He goes on, “It’s a song about those times when you start getting a little too big for your britches and then life gives you a good slap in the face to cut you back down to size.”

Drummer Carlos Chevez adds, “This is one of my favorites to play live, which says a lot because we’re every bit a ‘live’ band. Consciousness of what I’m playing goes out the window about halfway through and I end up on a huge cathartic high at the last note.

And as bassist Victor Aguilar eloquently puts it: “This is a song built on a killer groove. My upper lip curls every time we play it.”

Make sure to stay tuned for the latest on everything happening in Dronen’s world, and keep your eyes peeled for their upcoming EP, ’284 Days,’ set for release next month. - Chuck Armstrong

Southern California rockers Dronen are ready to unleash their latest EP tomorrow (February 3), but you can stream it early, right here on Exclaim.ca.

The band have professed their adoration for '90s alt-rock, citing acts like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead as major influences. After delivering their coffee-fuelled debut album Digital Pathways (Analog Pathogens) back in 2013, the group are ready to return with 284 Days.

From the initial drum tracks being laid down at the Music Box studio in Irvine, CA, to a couple of life-related pauses and the eventual completion of the album, the process took exactly — you guessed it — 284 days.

The aptly titled set shows the band's growth in both recording and songwriting skills. The response from live audiences that they've tested out the new material on has left Dronen both "excited and anxious" for the EP's release.

Well, the anticipation is finally over and you can hear the final product now. The self-released 284 Days officially arrives on February 3, and you can stream it in the player below. - Sarah Murphy

Dronen is a three-piece band from California made up of Daniel Olivas (vocals, guitar), Victor Aguilar (bass) and Carlos Chevez (drums). They recently released their second effort entitled 284 Days, which tips its hat to early ‘90s alternative music while simultaneously creating their own sound.

One of the first things I noticed was how big their sound was despite very few overdubs. The band is able to create a dynamic, energy-filled journey through the five songs by incorporating subtle effects and inventive changes. I was impressed by some of the sounds Olivas was able to get out of his guitar. It was obvious to me that he took some time getting the right tone. You hear everything from high sustained leads, to crunchy rhythms and even some seriously tweaked manipulative effects like chorus, delay and reverb.

The band kicks things off with “The Loss Of All Things Real.” It starts off with jagged strategically placed distorted guitar chords in which you hear the reverb and rails slowly dissipate as Olivas sings, “when i lost my head i was only mad reservations in love the conservation of luck so i wrote my friend and it's what he said that you are never alone you are never alone.”

About a minute in the band unleashes and I was reminded of the same guitar tone that Billy Corgan got on Siamese Dream. Olivas’ vocals are a mix between a nasally angst and a cathartic release. His voice often comes to boiling points where are you can hear him pushing it as hard as he can.

“Analog Pathogens (Digital Remnants)” starts with impressive tom work and reverb laced guitars. It’s a tumbling verse that starts to sizzle once the distorted power chords are introduced. The band continues to impress with the last two tracks “Tonight” and “Lights Out.” “Lights Out” is arguably the most infectious song out of the five.

284 Days isn’t reinventing the wheel but it does deliver well-written songs from a band who knows how to deliver them. Recommended. - Ted Rogen