Acoustic Metal: Listen to Ewan Dobson’s “Condemnation”

There is no double kick drum or even distortion, but this is still about as metal as it gets.

With his new single “Condemnation,” could guitarist Ewan Dobson be helping to usher in a new genre of acoustic metal?

Recorded in complete isolation in the backwoods of Canada just after completing his tour of Europe, CandyRat Records artist Ewan Dobson’s upcoming album Acoustic Metal II features multi-tracked acoustic guitar played with a flat-pick.

The album releases July 4 and is the follow-up to 2013’s Acoustic Metal.

On the Acoustic Metal II, Dobson shifts the melodic and heavy-rhythmic aspects of metal into the realm of clean acoustic guitar. Having multi-tracked his playing, the sound at times comes across like a heavy acoustic guitar trio or quartet.

Can acoustic guitar be metal? Listen to “Condemnation” and decide for yourself:

Acoustic Metal II ups the game from the previous Acoustic Metal, bringing with it heavier riffs and more evolved songwriting. With 14 tracks, Acoustic Metal II is played entirely with a flat-pick and does not contain any fingerstyle guitar, unlike its predecessor.

The sound ranges from technical, acoustic death metal to progressive acoustic metal and what is described as “video-game acoustic metal.”

Find out more at Dobson’s official site: www.ewandobson.com.

Tom Gilbert is a guitarist (and aspiring pedal steel player) living in the San Francisco Bay Area. When he’s not blogging for Acoustic Nation, eating Thai food or being obsessed with his dog, Tom does marketing and PR for music and audio companies with Mad Sun Marketing.