| CD REVIEW Before The Dawn |
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Band: Before The Dawn Before The Dawn are a very productive collective from Finland. Soundscape Of Silence is their fifth full length and lasts for 39:32 minutes. In its purest sense, this album continues where the former one, Deadlight, ended. In fact, all releases are comparable, but at the same time, each single album was stronger than the former one. And yes, that also goes for this new studio recording. Also this time, Before The Dawn play a combination of melodic Death Metal with a very Finnish approach, with emotional Post-Rock. Most pieces are melodious, yet the interaction is much better composed (and performed). The main part varies from semi-acoustic and somewhat psychedelic (think: Katatonia, Dolorian etc) over mid-tempo and rhythmic (Paradise Lost, Amorphis) to powerful and up-tempo (Opeth, Dark Tranquillity). Vocally everything seems to be all right too this time. Front man Tuomas Saukkonen, who, by the way, was nominated for the ‘Finnish Metal Award 2006’ in the category ‘musician of the year’, has a strong death grunt, while bass player Lars Eikind’s clean vocals are warm and emotional, yet without any pathetic rubbish. Some of the heavier (Death Metal) parts are pretty intense and overwhelming and I can appreciate those pieces a lot. The ‘softer’ moments too are more convincing than before, and besides perfectly performed. The injection of a certain progressive approach (think: Borknagar, Vintersorg) (like on Dead Reflection) has turned out a good decision too, and I cannot but conclude that Before The Dawn did a better job again. 82/100 Ivan Tibos. |