Finland is home to some of the most acclaimed Melodic Death Metal bands in the scene. This chilly, cool country is heated up by the vast amount of fiery talent offered by their locals. Before the Dawn was one of these great acts that proudly waved the banner of MeloDeath high. Shortly after the release of their very successful record, Rise of the Phoenix in 2012, the band went on hiatus. Now the Finnish fellas are preparing to release their first album after their ten-year absence. With a new lineup, a revived energy, and an eagerness to share their sound again, the band is back with Stormbringers (Napalm Records).

An attractive excitement sparks to life on the opening track, ‘The Dawn’. A drama builds as the electronic intro leads right into the hard-hitting piece, ‘Destroyer’. The intensity heightens when the senses are smacked with the gutsy ferociousness of thick tones full of attitude. The crunch and agility of the strings soar with purposefulness. Band newcomer, the Voice of Finland 2022 finalist, Paavo Laapotti provides another layer of extraordinary with his bright, unadulterated voice. His singing cuts through the exquisite chaos by contributing clear cleans. There are massive distortions that pair perfectly with captivating melodies proving these Melodeath experts have not lost a beat.

The energy continues on the following tracks, ‘Reveries’ and ‘Downhearted’. The catchy choruses have you humming along. There is speed to these numbers, yet a gracefulness falls over each musical movement. The determined drum work provided by founding member Tuomas Saukkonen partners well with Pyry Hanski’s concrete bass lines that are succulently stocked with depth. Swallow the Sun’s guitarist Juho Raiha lends his skill on the strings to give personality and prominence to them. Each member plays with a vivaciousness that exudes strength and understanding.

You can hear the influence of Tuomas Saukkonen’s other project, Wolfheart on numbers like ‘Chains’ and ‘Divided’. Each has momentous mournfulness and pulses with a fortitude full of drudging darkness and fleeting light. The use of piano accentuates the minor keys that moves one to melancholy. The variances and usage of Laapotti’s vocals convey a variety of emotions from grief to contentment. His cleans accompany Suakkonen’s growls in a way that compliments their themes of life and struggle.

The animated angst on ‘The Dark’, ‘Chaos Star’, and ‘Weight’ makes the heart swell. The end of the album crescendos into massive moodiness that gets under your skin and stays there. The strikingly sullen sounds give a keen expression of forlornness.  Their solemn substance is evident throughout the entire album, but the theme of not giving up is also present. The mixture of heartache and hope in their writing discloses that these guys are still one of Melodic Death Metal’s leading acts. 

Buy the album here:

https://lnk.to/BeforetheDawn-Stormbringers

8 / 10

RAGIN ROSIE