Band: Before The Dawn

Before The Dawn was formed by Tuomas Saukkonen as a solo project, though there were also other official members during the early years. The live and recording line-up are more or less session based. Tuomas is also known from many other influential Finnish bands and projects, amongst which RoutaSielu (debut out soon on Spinefarm), Jumalhämärä (released the excellent album Resignaatio at the end of last year; review posted on November 26th 2010), Black Sun Aeon (the professional review on both former albums is still available: Darkness Walks Besides Me – April 20th 2009; and Routa – April 8th 2010), The Final Harvest (The End, posted on January 13th 2010), Dawn Of Solace, Bonegrinder (rip), Teargod, Sinamore and Rajavyöhyke. With Before The Dawn, Tuomas recorded several mini and full length albums; personally I could enjoy some (like 2008’s Soundscape Of Silence), and some I didn’t like at all (e.g. 4:17 am and The Ghost).

February will see the release of two recordings through two different labels: the melodic Decade Of Darkness EP on Cyclone Empire (the label that did release Before The Dawn’s best albums) and Deathstar Rising, the new full length on newly signed major Nuclear Blast. Both albums do differ from each other, like it has been the case in the past, and like it goes for all other bands and projects Tuomas is involved with.
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Title: Decade Of Darkness
Label: Cyclone Empire / Stay Heavy Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: February 4th 2011
Review: EP

This EP, which lasts for almost half an hour, is a compilation to celebrate Before The Dawn’s tenth anniversary, and it comes with a bonus-DVD. The latter is a registration of the band’s performance on the 2009-edition of Summer Breeze Open Air. Very interesting for the truest fans.
The first songs on the EP (three newly written and recorded ones) go on in the vein of 2007’s Deadlight and 2008’s Soundscape Of Silence, yet with a more melancholic and catchier approach. The combination of rhythmic Death Metal with melodic Gothic Metal Rock comes to its peak within the title track or the second song, End Of Days. The third track, Insomnia, is an acoustic semi-ballad with nothing additional to add.
Besides three new tracks, this EP consists of ‘known’ material as well. Next comes Painless, a bonus song taken from the Japanese version of Deadlight, which could have been part of the European edition as well, if it were not that shamelessly poppy and predictable, I guess. The very same song appears in a live version too (great sound quality + excellent performance). Finally there are two different versions of Deadsong: a live one (again with a splendid sound and skilled live appearance) and a so-called Symphony Version – the latter bringing bands as Nightwish, (early) Theatre Of Tragedy or Within Temptation to mind, yet much less interesting, unfortunately.
Originally this record was meant to get released along with Black Sun Aeon’s Routa, but it is available individually too.
Additional note: apparently this mini-album entered the Finnish charts to position number One…

--/100
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Title: Deathstar Rising
Label: Nuclear Blast
Distribution: PIAS
Release date: February 25th 2011
Review: CD

Deathstar Rising, and therefore I’m pretty happy, goes on in the vein of the best Before The Dawn-efforts from the past decade (being both last albums, Deadlight and Soundscape Of Silence). The album was recorded by Tuomas with session assistance of Lars ‘Eikind’ Eric Si (think Gloria Morti, Khold, Winds, Tulus, Sensa Anima, Eikind or Age Of Silence), Juho Räihä (Riverside Syndicate, Gloria Morti) and Atte Palokangas (Agonizer, Sinity).
The album is less pathetically catchy and hit potential-oriented, and not as melancholic and sweetfully goody-goody as during the early years. No, this might be the heaviest effort to date. Deathstar Rising varies a lot: the tempo differs from slow over mid-tempo to energetically fast, the spheres perfectly combine obscurity with enlightenment, the rhythms balance between supportive and pushing, and the song structures cover a wide area from emotional-melancholic to mercilessly brutal and aggressive. At the same time, this recording must be the darkest, most gloomy and coldest one to date. And what a production: overpowering and massive, fat and thick.
In spite of the increased intensity, several moments still come with a slightly catchy attitude. It does not always work (at least to me), but even these softer moments are more acceptable than it was the case in the past. No, the compositions are written with even more craftsmanship, and performed by very experienced musicians, that’s for sure, and therefore this might be (one of) the best Before The Dawn-albums ever???

81/100

Ivan Tibos.