Rock fans are in for a treat! Atomic Dogs Of War, the heavy rock project of singer-songwriter of Bob Pellerin, have just released their debut LP, “Just Therapy.” “Just Therapy” dives deep into the emotional and societal challenges humanity faces during a time of rapid change. Through the lens of AI and science fiction, Bob Pellerin’s writing provides deep insights into the complexities of the human experience. This is more than just a rock album, this is a reflection of the time we are all currently living in.
The record bursts to life with the powerful opening track, “Atomic Dogs of War.” Driven by pounding drums, gritty distorted guitars, and raw, angsty vocals, this song immediately grabs your attention. Lyrically, it’s a thought-provoking reflection on the rapidly changing times facing not only the United States but the entire world. As technology continues its relentless takeover, humanity stands on shaky ground, where profits outweigh people, and conflict has become a devastating norm. “Atomic Dogs of War” is a great introductory track for listeners to familiarize themselves with the bands sound.
“Atomic Dogs of War” transitions seamlessly into another standout track, the album’s title song, “Just Therapy.” While maintaining the grungy edge of its predecessor, this track introduces a subtle pop sensibility. Layered synthesizers dominate the verses, infusing the song with an added energy and dynamic texture. From the first verse to the explosive chorus, “Just Therapy” is undeniably catchy. The chorus delivers a high-intensity punch, with vocals bordering on screams, amplifying the song’s raw emotional power. Bob Pellerin’s attitude-filled delivery shines in lines like, “She strung me out, without a doubt” and “Nowhere to turn, emotions churn.” The climactic declaration, “Oh no! This song isn’t payback, it’s just therapy!” captures the track’s emotional core. Lyrically, “Just Therapy” delves into the tumultuous aftermath of a breakup, exploring the whirlwind of emotions that surface when heartache begins to take hold.
Breaking up themes continue on “I Left You.” The lyrics of this song is extremely honest, showing emotional depth and accountability. The vocals are delivered in a quick rhythm, shot gun style. Pellerin spits lyrics with precision and force, taking accountability for all his personal shortcomings in this past relationship that clearly meant the world to him. His sorrow and dedication shines through not only the lyrics and vocal delivery but also through the intensity of the music.
“I Left You is the most personal and raw track on the album. I wrote it in 1989 during a tumultuous time in my life. It’s about an ex-girlfriend who gave me unconditional love and support, but I didn’t feel worthy of her. My struggles with low self-esteem and self-doubt led me to repeatedly leave her, causing pain to us both. Writing the song was cathartic—a way to apologize and process my regrets. The lyrics reflect cycles of self-destruction and remorse, serving as a reminder of how far I’ve come. I like to think I put a bit of my soul into I Left You.” – Bob Pellerin
“World On Fire” sound like a very accurate theme of the current day. While, Southern California is literally burning, the wars including the one in the Middle East, and the new administration in the United States, the world really does feel like it’s on fire. This song is all about the chaos that spans across the entire globe and in all of our personal lives. This song expresses the burden of bearing these hard truths and wanting to isolate in attempts to cope. At the end, Pellerin, softly, sings, “Don’t leave me alone.” My personal favorite element of this track is the distorted guitar riffs that kick off the song. They are catchy, smooth, intense, and very well-played.
“I wrote the songs I wanted to hear. From over 300 ideas—some just fragments—I kept the sounds and phrases that resonated with me the most. If I found myself wanting to listen to a track repeatedly, I knew it deserved to make the cut. This process ensured the album was authentic to my vision and something I’d enjoy as a listener.” – Bob Pellerin
“L.O.V.E.” is something that every single person could use a little more of. As we become less and less connected with each other due to technology overtaking social situations, it’s even more important to remember to connect face to face, voice to voice, with those we love and cherish. This song is a good reminder of that truth. Pellerin sings about the love he has for a past partner who’s the center of his world. He sings with great excitement and energy throughout the song. Atomic Dogs of War brings a wall of guitars onto this track, while drums smash in perfect rhythm. While the music production sounds intense from start to finish, the sentiment of the song is all love…L.O.V.E.
The pace slows down a bit for “.38 Special,” a song all about the end of a relationship and changing times. He sings: “This ain’t home no more.” This song has a haunting feel to it musically. Guitars and synths create that atmosphere around the track that haunts the listener. This production allows the listener to be fully immersed in the feelings. The vocals showcase a different side of Atomic Dogs of War. These vocals are more ballad style than all the previous songs on the record. The verses and choruses are incredibly catchy. Yes, this one has a sing-a-long quality to it. Personally, this is probably is my favorite song on the record for the songwriting quality.
“.38 Special was challenging to record because of its emotional weight and the need to find the right cadence and style. Written from a victim’s perspective, it required a delicate balance of anger and power. Though it ultimately became part of Atomic Dogs of War, capturing the right intensity took time. I’m hoping to release an acoustic version in the future to showcase a different side of the song.”
– Bob Pellerin
Next we enter “Dark Times.” Lyrically, the song tells the story about someone who feels abandoned and mistreated. Vocally, the song resembles qualities of “.38 Special,” so if you’re looking for a laid-back, ballad-style rock song, these two songs are definitely for you. The vocal tone could be categorized into the emo music genre. Overall, this song echos the feelings of heartbreak.
The pace picks back up for “Time For Your Crime.” Listeners will hear a pounding kick drum with a fast groove. Synthesizers take up a bit of space on this track, adding another sonic texture to the record. The verse is delivered quickly. The song explodes into a captivating chorus that is extremely emotive. Lyrically, this song continues on about a relationship that went south, that may have been toxic. This song continues on with lyrics of heartbreak and moving on.
“I’m Doing Fine” continues on with these themes, but the tone dramatically shifts. It’s clear that the guitars have been tuned down to Drop D and the distortion pedals are turned all the way up. The guitars make a wall of sound, and in combination with the drums, this is a powerhouse of sound. Listeners, will be surprised to hear screamo style vocals, intertwined with a guest female vocalist. “My Whole Attention” is just as heavy, but the vocals lean more towards 90s grunge. This is one of my favorite songs on the record because the vocal delivery sounds authentically emotive and organic. The song also has some flavors of punk to it.
The record ends just as strongly as it started with “Dark Buddha Rising.” This song also has a punk or grunge vocal delivery style. An electric guitar kicks off the song, with vocals as the drums build in intensity. The song explodes into a catchy chorus section. If I got the chance to see Atomic Dogs Of War perform live, this song would be the one I would be looking forward to hearing the most. This song is exciting throughout, changing in intensities and instrumentation throughout.
Listen to “Just Therapy” by Atomic Dogs Of War on Spotify now:
Bob Pellerin is an expert in AI and has published a best-selling book about it. We asked about his thoughts on how AI will or will not impact the music industry. He responded with this:
“Twenty years ago, I predicted that music tools would evolve to personalize music. Imagine listening to a song and tweaking it on the fly—changing it to a dance version or adding electric guitar. While writing AI Business Strategies, I left out this vision, but we’re now living it. AI can already assist artists by creating music sheets, producing press releases, managing promotions, or designing album covers. It can even generate drum tracks, backup vocals, or entire compositions.
In a few years, AI will make it possible to compose an entire rock album dedicated to, say, the tragedy of losing meat in a broken freezer. While AI is a powerful tool, it’s important to remember that the essence of music lies in its ability to connect with listeners. If a song resonates with someone, that’s what makes it good.” – Bob Pellerin
Rock the Pigeon: Do you think AI could resonate with human listeners?
“I believe AI-generated music has incredible potential to resonate with listeners. While AI currently excels at perfecting tempo and hitting desired notes, the true spark of creativity and nuance still originates from human songwriters. AI complements this creativity by faithfully reproducing their visions. We’ve already seen acceptance of technologies like autotuning which shows there’s a readiness for innovation in music production.
AI also lowers barriers to entry in music creation and enables spectacular performances with entirely synthetic musicians guided by human creators. Ultimately, whether AI-generated music is considered art is subjective and depends on individual listeners. If you look at the variety of instruments and the extremes in sounds being produced and used in music, one has to reason this adds to the mix. If some seek and listen to, say, 8-Bit music, then the audiophile on the other end of the spectrum can’t argue that it’s not music and vice-versa if there is an audience. The future success of AI music will be determined by its reception in the market. As an AI expert, I’m optimistic about its potential to enrich the music industry.” – Bob Pellerin
Written by Ryan Cassata
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