Shadows Of Dawn
The chaps in Shadows Of Dawn recently dropped us a line letting us know about their latest EP, Heliacal Rising, to see what we thought of things. Describing their style simply as metal, but saying they incorporate a ‘conglomeration of influences ranging from early thrash metal to modern experimental’, I think there’s going to be more to this than meets the eye. Due to be releasing new stuff sometime in August, I figured that now was the time to bear witness to a new chapter in the history of heavy metal, and to check out what was on offer!
Opening with Shadows Of Dawn we’re introduced to the band with a hammering guitar line, soaring synth backing, rolling drums and low, gravelly vocals, it’s a mix which is going to pull you in from the off. Roving between those soft and low vocals to roaring vocal moments, the mix is upbeat and aggressive from the off, crafting the sort of sound which is going to lure you in and get you moving whether you’re ready for it or not. To me, the sound here suggests that this is a band who are going to fully realise their force on the live scene, the distorted and hard hitting mix holding that power that is going to leave venues as dust, people quaking at the knees and a hell of reputation in place for them! Envy continues this idea, this time slowing things down to a slow and heavy growl as things get going, an intricate lead line leading the way into the track beginning fully and showing that when it comes to metal, these guys know what they’re doing. Pumping through the track at a galloping pace, the track harks back to classic metal whilst providing an updated view on things, showing that they’ve got a solid understanding of where the music came from and how they can turn it into their own style.
Moving away from the hard hitting intros for a moment with Welcome To The Edge, there’s a soft piano and acoustic guitar line to greet us this time around, showing that the SOD understand how to fully accentuate their tracks in the best possible way. The soft opening moments of this track however are short lived, soon fading out to allow the full force of the track to take over and hammer into a thrash orientated melee of distorted elements once again. Combining this soft and hard approach with aplomb throughout, this track further demonstrates the bands understanding of their music, and how to craft a track which can pack a punch without simply resorting to all out noise and devastation to get their message across. The same style of opening greets us with In Remembrance, this time hinting at an emotional side to the music and keeping things soft and flowing throughout. The softest track on the EP for sure, this moment acts as a moment of calm, a time to reflect and a time for thought – it’s a quiet moment which will sit you back and make you simply take in everything you’ve heard so far.
Closing with Heavenfall we’re returned to the more upbeat and dark approach which started off the EP so well, hammering into a distorted melee of guitars, drums and bass heavy rhythms. It was always going to be a heavy and hard hitting close to the EP due to the nature of the band in question, but what’s shown here is that the band can take all of their influences, combine them with the elements available to them and end their EP on a point which will leave you wanting more, leave you questioning what’s going to come next, and leave you happy in the knowledge that you just heard a damned good band doing damned good music, and doing it well.
Shadows Of Dawn have taken metal and turned it on its head, showing that when different ideas are thrown into the mix, the result is something exciting and interesting. The EP here is a damned good starting point for a band to begin their career, showcasing their style and keeping you firmly invested in it from start to finish. I look forward to seeing what comes next, I just hope they stick to their guns.
To find out more about Shadows Of Dawn, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Shadows Of Dawn we’re introduced to the band with a hammering guitar line, soaring synth backing, rolling drums and low, gravelly vocals, it’s a mix which is going to pull you in from the off. Roving between those soft and low vocals to roaring vocal moments, the mix is upbeat and aggressive from the off, crafting the sort of sound which is going to lure you in and get you moving whether you’re ready for it or not. To me, the sound here suggests that this is a band who are going to fully realise their force on the live scene, the distorted and hard hitting mix holding that power that is going to leave venues as dust, people quaking at the knees and a hell of reputation in place for them! Envy continues this idea, this time slowing things down to a slow and heavy growl as things get going, an intricate lead line leading the way into the track beginning fully and showing that when it comes to metal, these guys know what they’re doing. Pumping through the track at a galloping pace, the track harks back to classic metal whilst providing an updated view on things, showing that they’ve got a solid understanding of where the music came from and how they can turn it into their own style.
Moving away from the hard hitting intros for a moment with Welcome To The Edge, there’s a soft piano and acoustic guitar line to greet us this time around, showing that the SOD understand how to fully accentuate their tracks in the best possible way. The soft opening moments of this track however are short lived, soon fading out to allow the full force of the track to take over and hammer into a thrash orientated melee of distorted elements once again. Combining this soft and hard approach with aplomb throughout, this track further demonstrates the bands understanding of their music, and how to craft a track which can pack a punch without simply resorting to all out noise and devastation to get their message across. The same style of opening greets us with In Remembrance, this time hinting at an emotional side to the music and keeping things soft and flowing throughout. The softest track on the EP for sure, this moment acts as a moment of calm, a time to reflect and a time for thought – it’s a quiet moment which will sit you back and make you simply take in everything you’ve heard so far.
Closing with Heavenfall we’re returned to the more upbeat and dark approach which started off the EP so well, hammering into a distorted melee of guitars, drums and bass heavy rhythms. It was always going to be a heavy and hard hitting close to the EP due to the nature of the band in question, but what’s shown here is that the band can take all of their influences, combine them with the elements available to them and end their EP on a point which will leave you wanting more, leave you questioning what’s going to come next, and leave you happy in the knowledge that you just heard a damned good band doing damned good music, and doing it well.
Shadows Of Dawn have taken metal and turned it on its head, showing that when different ideas are thrown into the mix, the result is something exciting and interesting. The EP here is a damned good starting point for a band to begin their career, showcasing their style and keeping you firmly invested in it from start to finish. I look forward to seeing what comes next, I just hope they stick to their guns.
To find out more about Shadows Of Dawn, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
