I 'Dream'ed this record was better

What do hard rock/metal fans look for in bands new to the genre? Probably not what's on Depswa's Two Angels and a Dream.\n Sure, it's melodic, but there is nothing else to it. The musicianship is indistinct. The lyrics are weak. The production is torpid as the vocals are overmixed and the guitars are relegated to the background.\n Lead vocalist Jeremy Penick's lyrics are about the same old relationship tug-of-wars thought to be remnants from the grunge movement. This guy would find a way to suffer heartbreak if his girlfriend chipped a fingernail. Penick seems to want to switch between loud and soft, but the band behind him either doesn't understand what he wants or is just incapable of dynamic shifts. Meanwhile, the guitar/singer rivalry inherent to good hard rock sounds muted.\n In a lot of ways, this record is the opposite of Metallica's St. Anger. That record is amelodic but powerful with abundant charisma. This record is tuneful but anemic with pop psych lyrics and zero personality.\n So consider this what happens when a band wants to rip off other nu-metal bands (though, to their credit, without the rapping). The genre won't be so accepting.