| CD REVIEW Tracedawn |
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Band: Tracedawn Tuomas Yli-Jaskari, still going to school, did play in several bands yet decided to start his own band to canalise his personal ideas and emotions in an own concept. At the very end of 2005 he started the band Moravia, yet soon the moniker changed into the current one, Tracedawn. Some may recognize this name from the Finnish Eurovision pre-selections??? After the recording of a mini-album, the band went to the studio again to record the first full length, which remains nameless. The album was produced at Sonic Pump Studio by Thunderstone’s Nino Laurenne (Finntroll, Children Of Bodom, Thy Estean Feast, Amoral and many others), who did also perform some guest solos, and was mixed by Mikko Karmila (Amorphis, Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, Children Of Bodom, Sonata Arctica etc etc) and mastered by Mika Jussila (too many to mention) at his Finnvox Studio. These well-known names stand for both professional assistance as for a commercial approach, and this latter, well, makes me kind of allergic. A commercial approach does not necessarily mean ‘wrong’ music, but it might also implement a too clean production, a too easy concept, and a too predictable approach. This, unfortunately, is also the case for Tracedawn. I have to admit that the extremely young age of the members versus those songs is of a superb equilibrium, but I cannot enjoy listening to this album. Our website’s boss better gave it to someone else, I guess, to review. To avoid my inborn allergy for this kind of Death / Power / Heavy Metal, I try to add, distantly and neutrally, bands I must think about while listening to this stuff: Crematory, Blind Guardian and consorts. Both death grunts and melodic vocals, the addition of piano and keyboards, melodic riffs, mid-tempo rhythms, fiery solos, every ingredient is present to please the average Suomi-Metal-loving fan. And yes, I must admit that Antti Lappalainen’s grunts are more than acceptable, that’s for sure. Recommended to everyone who can appreciate Finnish stuff between HIM, Kaliban, As Divine Grace and Embraze. --/100 Ivan Tibos. |