The Dredd

Brian Sloan (aka "the Dredd," sometimes using the pseudonym Chris Dredd) was born in Tucker, GA. Growing up, he was always enamored with music and finally learned to play an instrument after taking drum lessons. In high school he got his own drum kit and began playing to numerous bands. In college, he learned quickly that drums were not always readily available for a musical outlet, so he picked up electric guitar. Also during college, he stumbled upon his suitemate creating hip hop tracks for fun in his dorm room, which slowly planted the seed for self-production later on.
In his latter years of college, Brian began to be more involved with his Mass Communications major, and was mystified with the effect that sound had on visuals after doing video work. Therefore he began paying more attention to music, particularly suspense and horror music. Silent Hill, one of his favorite games, captivated him the most with the originality of Akira Yamaoka and how simple things could carry so much weight with soundtrack music. So, after trying out some various programs, he found one that worked for him and began producing his own tracks.
He first started out using pre-recorded clips provided through his program, experimenting with piecing together some catchy drum parts to other instruments. After a while, he slowly began creating more and more of his own instrumental pieces, and while he still kept some groove aspects, resulted in his darker sound. His sound is modeled much after Akira Yamaoka, the composer of the Silent Hill series. Some of those qualities include the ambient noise, simple yet effective repetitious sounds, factory sounds, and unusual scraping or metallic sounds. The majority of his sounds are created on his computer itself, but he is slowly trying to incorporate playing actual instruments live in the recordings. When he does play, he uses an electric guitar, djembe, and a keyboard.
And yet while he looks to Yamaoka for inspiration, the Dredd still has a style his own, tending to stick with groovy or funky beats most likely due to his drum background playing to fusion bands such as Incubus, 311, System of a Down, Pulse Ultra, and Rage Against the Machine. Other bands of influence, through either drum or guitar, include Coheed and Cambria, Cold, Chevelle, Finger Eleven, Breaking Benjamin, A Perfect Circle, and Muse. As far as inspiration for soundtrack work, he listens to 28 Days Later OST, any and all Silent Hill, Resident Evil OST's, Bourne Trilogy OST, and to a bit of shame, the Twilight Original Score. Brian is currently exploring a project with sounds very similar to the very first Silent Hill, using factory/metallic sounds with scraping and other unsettling noises.

The first album by The Dredd, "Impulse of Life" is an upbeat album with laid-back grooves, funky rhythms, and plenty of electronic sounds. While this album doesn't represent the central core of The Dredd's artistic direction, it definitely shows the upbeat side of his artistry.

4. "Strange Is Only A Concept" (finished, yet unreleased)

In ways an experimental album, the Dredd uses combinations of instruments that don't normally appear, as well as using some unexpected sounds and/or changes in the music.

5. "No Other Way" (finished, yet unreleased)
This album brings back the feel of Scarcity of Hope, but not as laid back and no groovy drum parts. Many of the pieces edge on suspense, and foreshadow some impending doom. The story aspect seems the most prevalent on this album.

6. "Your Beautiful Scars" (finished, yet unreleased)

This album is easily the most melodic of all of The Dredd's work. Yet, he still manages to maintain a dark feel, with an attempt to bring out pieces of a dual nature; light and dark, melody and dischord. Much of the music is comprised of piano and strings, featuring some bells and pads.

7. "Life As We Don't Know" (work in progress)
A throwback to Impulse of Life, this album focuses more on rhythm and groove.

8. "Prey" EP (finished, released March 31st)
The most focused on dark sounds and suspense, this dark EP is nothing short of a horror/suspense movie soundtrack.

Home