Dawn Ray’d have been making a lot of noise, over the last couple of years. The Liverpool based band were one of the first Anarchist/Anti-fascist Black Metal bands to get a lot of notice from the metal press. Back in 2017 when the bands debut The Unlawful Assembly was released, Dawn Ray’d seemed to be a lone voice, but in the last 2 years the Anti-fascist metal scene has blossomed into one of the most important, interesting and musically exiting scenes in Heavy Metal. (Paul himself has written extensively about it here: https://musipediaofmetal.blogspot.com/2019/06/opinion-anti-fascist-black-metal-nsbm.html) So, in 2 years Dawn Ray’d have gone from a lone voice to being the leaders of a massively expanding group of musicians who love Black Metal but hate fascism.
Dawn Ray’d formed in 2015. The group, made up of Matthew B (Drums), Fabian D (Guitar) and Simon B (Vocals, Violin), released an EP, A Thorn, A Blight in the year they formed and their first album 2 years later. The bands sound has always had a folk element to it, Simon B’s violin is an important part of the Dawn Ray’d sound. The folk in question isn’t the bright, happy folk of Scandinavian folk metal, it’s a style that is post industrial revolution, a style that was the punk of the nineteenth century. The darker folk that is part of Dawn Ray’d gives the band a sound that is reminiscent of Anarchist Black Metal pioneer SorgSvart. This darker folk is also similar in feel to the early work of British band Skyclad, which is interesting considering the overtly left wing lyrics that Skyclad founder Martin Walkiyer wrote while he was part of Skyclad.
The other part of the bands sound is of course, fairly savage Black Metal. On previous Dawn Ray’d releases there was a slight Atmospheric feel to the Black Metal, but that has morphed into an earlier, nastier second wave style. The guitar sound is closer to the buzzsaw sound of early second wave bands, and that was perfected on Ulver’s Nattens Madrigal. The songs are all short, around the 3 to 4 minute mark, giving the album a punchy, punk feel, which is very appropriate. The lyrics are, as you’d expect, highly politically charged. They are angry, impassioned diatribes against fascism, capitalism and controlling authoritarian systems. The anger on this album feels greater and more urgent, the world has become a worse place since The Unlawful Assembly in 2017, and this is reflected in the rage that is all over the album.
The album is opened by the track Raise The Flails, which is a folky introduction to the album. The track gets much heavier at the end as is blends into the next track. The Smell Of Ancient Dust is the first full song on the album; it’s a mix of blasting second wave black metal and violin, the track has a very heavy, slow, powerful ending. Like Smoke Into Fog opens with a blast of feedback, before going into a brilliant up-tempo, thrashy part that flows beautifully. The track then takes a turn, and we get a softer folky part that is emotive and effecting. This softer section then gets heavy in a staccato, aggressive way, until another high speed blast brings the song to an end. To All To All To All! opens with blasting black metal, before an introspective softer section soothes the listener. The blast returns, before a heavy folk section brings the track to an end. A Time For Courage At The Borderlands is a slower prospect for the most part, measured blast beats mix well with the folk. Songs In The Key Of Compromise is simple, dramatic and very effective, with some really great tremolo picked riffs.
Until The Forge Goes Cold is mid-paced at the beginning, but then goes into some fantastic fast, flowing black metal that is packed with inertia and pace. The track comes to a close in a slow and powerful way. A Stone's Throw is a beautiful mix of clean guitar and violin with soft chanted vocals. it’s graceful, elegant and exquisite. Soon Will Be The Age Of Lessons wipes away all the beauty of the track that came before it with an incredibly heavy, aggressive opening, with some of the angriest vocals I’ve heard in a long time. The heavy nastiness is replaced with frantic blasting, before the slow and fucking angry returns. The song also has a very pleasing violin solo, that adds a nice amount of melody. Salvation Rite opens with some melancholy folk, before the track gets powerful and aggressive. There are blasting tremolo picked riffs, but this song is more about powerful mid-paced riffs and deeply melancholic folk. The album is brought to an end by the track The Curse The Dappled Light, which is a mix of blasting black metal, and more measured mid-paced riffs. The song and the album come to an end with another beautiful piece of soft acoustic folk.
Behold Sedition Plainsong is a fantastic album. It’s the follow up that The Unlawful Assembly deserved. The album is angrier in both lyrics and music, however the band haven’t solely used blasting aggression and extremity to achieve their aim. The album has more light and shade than its predecessor. There are different moods, pacings and feelings on this album. The band have allowed themselves introspection and thoughtfulness and as a result have produced a more rounded album. Yes, the album is angry (we live in horrific times, if you aren’t angry, then you are either part of the 1%, or you aren’t paying attention), but it’s a well informed, knowledgeable and enlightened anger that is far more incendiary than simple rage. This is exactly the album that Dawn Ray’d needed to make at this point. It can act as a rallying call to any other bands that love Black Metal and hate fascism. In the Heavy Metal Battle of Cable Street, Dawn Ray’d are leading the way, throwing cobbles at the black shirts; driving the fascists back. Black Metal is Anarchy, Anarchy is Black Metal, Dawn Ray’d have proved that with this album. 9 /10
In Mourning: Garden Of Storms (Agonia Records) [Paul Hutchings]
Often compared to Opeth, Swedes In Mourning are most definitely not a copycat outfit. In fact, the comparisons are misjudged in many respects. I’ve listened to little of their music so came at Garden of Storms relatively fresh. Their sixth album, following on from 2016’s Afterglow, the album opens with Black Storm, a maelstrom of melody of riffs, dark passages, death growls and clean verses. Melodic death metal in its style, it is in these opening minutes that one can see why the comparisons are made with their Stockholm brothers. Yields Of Fire follows, the soaring Radiohead style delivery moving to a progressive style before frighteningly demonic growls and tremolo riffing push the gentle vibe further back for several moments. Whilst sections of songs are ball-crushingly heavy, In Mourning never lose sight of the underlying melody throughout the album. Yields Of Fire builds in stature, fluctuating between huge blastbeats of death metal and soaring almost indie harmonies. Hierophant is a different beast entirely, jagged time signatures, pumping bass lines and intense driving rhythm give way to a passage of almost oriental style, the clean vocals of Tobias Netzell contrasting with his ferocious death growls.
With each of the seven tracks well over six minutes, there is ample time to explore the qualities of the band and map the performance of debutants Sebastian Svalland (Bass) and drummer Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson. Lengthy intricate passages are dealt with comfortably, the interplay is detailed, locked down tight and heavy such as Huntress Moon and Tribunal Of Suns and the spectacular finale, the nine-minute plus The Lost Outpost. The calmer sections are no less impressive, as the band drift into the progressive zone of The Pineapple Thief, Riverside and even Marillion. An album that is both simple and complicated, In Mourning’s sixth release is another special album in a year when special albums seem to arrive every week. 8/10
Gentihaa: Reverse Entropy (Symmetric Records) [Matt Bladen]
Released on Bob Katsionis' record label, Reverse Entropy is the debut album from fantasy themed symphonic black metal band Gentihaa. Coming out of the bowels of somewhere evil this Athenian act have created a debut album that could rival the any of the album by genre leaders Dimmu Borgir, especially the older material as Reverse Entropy uses the clean harsh dynamics in the vocals Dimmu had when ICS Vortex was in the band, they have also got the bands striking visual element as well. However they are not just the slaves to Nordic darkness they have the intensity of Nevermore, with Metamorphosis a key example, along with more classic metal sounds and the melo-death aggression of Nightrage on the face ripping Beyond.
The album is opened by the track Raise The Flails, which is a folky introduction to the album. The track gets much heavier at the end as is blends into the next track. The Smell Of Ancient Dust is the first full song on the album; it’s a mix of blasting second wave black metal and violin, the track has a very heavy, slow, powerful ending. Like Smoke Into Fog opens with a blast of feedback, before going into a brilliant up-tempo, thrashy part that flows beautifully. The track then takes a turn, and we get a softer folky part that is emotive and effecting. This softer section then gets heavy in a staccato, aggressive way, until another high speed blast brings the song to an end. To All To All To All! opens with blasting black metal, before an introspective softer section soothes the listener. The blast returns, before a heavy folk section brings the track to an end. A Time For Courage At The Borderlands is a slower prospect for the most part, measured blast beats mix well with the folk. Songs In The Key Of Compromise is simple, dramatic and very effective, with some really great tremolo picked riffs.
Until The Forge Goes Cold is mid-paced at the beginning, but then goes into some fantastic fast, flowing black metal that is packed with inertia and pace. The track comes to a close in a slow and powerful way. A Stone's Throw is a beautiful mix of clean guitar and violin with soft chanted vocals. it’s graceful, elegant and exquisite. Soon Will Be The Age Of Lessons wipes away all the beauty of the track that came before it with an incredibly heavy, aggressive opening, with some of the angriest vocals I’ve heard in a long time. The heavy nastiness is replaced with frantic blasting, before the slow and fucking angry returns. The song also has a very pleasing violin solo, that adds a nice amount of melody. Salvation Rite opens with some melancholy folk, before the track gets powerful and aggressive. There are blasting tremolo picked riffs, but this song is more about powerful mid-paced riffs and deeply melancholic folk. The album is brought to an end by the track The Curse The Dappled Light, which is a mix of blasting black metal, and more measured mid-paced riffs. The song and the album come to an end with another beautiful piece of soft acoustic folk.
Behold Sedition Plainsong is a fantastic album. It’s the follow up that The Unlawful Assembly deserved. The album is angrier in both lyrics and music, however the band haven’t solely used blasting aggression and extremity to achieve their aim. The album has more light and shade than its predecessor. There are different moods, pacings and feelings on this album. The band have allowed themselves introspection and thoughtfulness and as a result have produced a more rounded album. Yes, the album is angry (we live in horrific times, if you aren’t angry, then you are either part of the 1%, or you aren’t paying attention), but it’s a well informed, knowledgeable and enlightened anger that is far more incendiary than simple rage. This is exactly the album that Dawn Ray’d needed to make at this point. It can act as a rallying call to any other bands that love Black Metal and hate fascism. In the Heavy Metal Battle of Cable Street, Dawn Ray’d are leading the way, throwing cobbles at the black shirts; driving the fascists back. Black Metal is Anarchy, Anarchy is Black Metal, Dawn Ray’d have proved that with this album. 9 /10
In Mourning: Garden Of Storms (Agonia Records) [Paul Hutchings]
Often compared to Opeth, Swedes In Mourning are most definitely not a copycat outfit. In fact, the comparisons are misjudged in many respects. I’ve listened to little of their music so came at Garden of Storms relatively fresh. Their sixth album, following on from 2016’s Afterglow, the album opens with Black Storm, a maelstrom of melody of riffs, dark passages, death growls and clean verses. Melodic death metal in its style, it is in these opening minutes that one can see why the comparisons are made with their Stockholm brothers. Yields Of Fire follows, the soaring Radiohead style delivery moving to a progressive style before frighteningly demonic growls and tremolo riffing push the gentle vibe further back for several moments. Whilst sections of songs are ball-crushingly heavy, In Mourning never lose sight of the underlying melody throughout the album. Yields Of Fire builds in stature, fluctuating between huge blastbeats of death metal and soaring almost indie harmonies. Hierophant is a different beast entirely, jagged time signatures, pumping bass lines and intense driving rhythm give way to a passage of almost oriental style, the clean vocals of Tobias Netzell contrasting with his ferocious death growls.
With each of the seven tracks well over six minutes, there is ample time to explore the qualities of the band and map the performance of debutants Sebastian Svalland (Bass) and drummer Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson. Lengthy intricate passages are dealt with comfortably, the interplay is detailed, locked down tight and heavy such as Huntress Moon and Tribunal Of Suns and the spectacular finale, the nine-minute plus The Lost Outpost. The calmer sections are no less impressive, as the band drift into the progressive zone of The Pineapple Thief, Riverside and even Marillion. An album that is both simple and complicated, In Mourning’s sixth release is another special album in a year when special albums seem to arrive every week. 8/10
Gentihaa: Reverse Entropy (Symmetric Records) [Matt Bladen]
Released on Bob Katsionis' record label, Reverse Entropy is the debut album from fantasy themed symphonic black metal band Gentihaa. Coming out of the bowels of somewhere evil this Athenian act have created a debut album that could rival the any of the album by genre leaders Dimmu Borgir, especially the older material as Reverse Entropy uses the clean harsh dynamics in the vocals Dimmu had when ICS Vortex was in the band, they have also got the bands striking visual element as well. However they are not just the slaves to Nordic darkness they have the intensity of Nevermore, with Metamorphosis a key example, along with more classic metal sounds and the melo-death aggression of Nightrage on the face ripping Beyond.
The album has been produced by Katsionis with SixforNine frontman and former Septicflesh drummer Fotis Benardo doing the mastering. That's yet another name I'd add to the list of bands Gentihaa owe a debt to, especially with their more symphonic compositions. The album deals with "a futuristic story based on an novel that was lost and found on the Internet" it's a dark Gothic tale lending itself to the bands sound. Formed by guitarist Valgran, he recruited Andre (Vocals), Rös Dracùl (guitars), Béheaal (bass) and Merenhor (drums) to form this talented band with special kudos to Andre on vocals whos harsh voice is terrifying while his clean vocals competes admirably with Evergrey Tom S Englund who guests on two tracks, there aren't many who would be able to compete with him so take that as a massive complement. Katsionis and Bernardo have made sure this record sounds huge the guitars rip and tear, the orchestrations swell, the rhythm section is ferocious and I've already mentioned the vocals.
If you want standard black metal then you'll be left wanting by this release as it's not trve cvlt, it's a lot more than that drawing from numerous bands who could all be considered extreme in their own way, it makes for a much intensity and scope as they dive between blastbeats and acoustic textures, utilised the best on the final track Singularity which features the second appearance by Englund. Reverse Entropy is a debut album that kicks down your door and dares you to dislike it. I don't just like it, I think this album kills! 8/10
Vambo: Vambo (Self Released) [Steve Haines]
Average. Standard. Middle of the Road. You get the idea. You can stop reading now if you’re just waiting for the verdict. As I’ve said before, I have three broad classes of albums: the first demands my attention, the second I can listen to quite happily without being special and the third makes me want to rip off my ears and throw them at the listening device. This album sits in the very middle of the second category. A soft rock album with a hint of a sleazy edge that, were it to be played on a pub jukebox, would see me bob my head quite happily without ever noticing anything about the music. The musicianship is good, the singing is good, the lyrics often cliched but never memorable.
Average. Standard. Middle of the Road. You get the idea. You can stop reading now if you’re just waiting for the verdict. As I’ve said before, I have three broad classes of albums: the first demands my attention, the second I can listen to quite happily without being special and the third makes me want to rip off my ears and throw them at the listening device. This album sits in the very middle of the second category. A soft rock album with a hint of a sleazy edge that, were it to be played on a pub jukebox, would see me bob my head quite happily without ever noticing anything about the music. The musicianship is good, the singing is good, the lyrics often cliched but never memorable.
I’m tempted to say there is something of the Scott Weiland/Velvet Revolver about it but that promises way too much. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the album and We’re Not The Same does hint at a more interesting direction but it is a false dawn as it is followed by token ballad Dancing With The Devil. It is a debut album so in the respect of a solid platform for growth and development it definitely hits that brief, but there is little new here. That said, there is enough here to suggest that there is enough talent and raw material to propel them onto greater things. In terms of this album as a standalone body of work - it’s just, well, nice. 6/10
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