AS DARKNESS DIES
“AS DARKNESS DIES”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
9/10
As Darkness Dies are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2011 who released their debut self titled album in 2015.
‘Black Death’ is a barn stormer of a song to open an album. British legends Iron Maiden made famous the “tremendous album opener” and As Darkness Dies prove, they have also set the standard by the first song. Full of pace, power and speed with a twin guitar attack and a galloping rhythm. ‘Cloaked In Darkness’ serves as an atmospheric introduction to ‘Searching For Life’ which is a pounding hard rock song that strolls along with melodic moments and catchy rhythms. The classic NWOBHM guitar riff welcomes ‘Silent Wings’ to the airways and the song chugs on, foot stompingly and head noddingly addictive. Feel good heavy metal is what As Darkness Dies play and boy it brings a smile to your face.
The atmosphere is lightened by the hard rocking ‘Ghost’, showing that melodic heavy metal is just as powerful as traditional heavy metal. Obligatory is a ballad on American heavy metal albums and here it is, in the form of ‘Other Side’. Superb guitar solos and an apt vocal display will keep you entertained as you try not to burn your fingers on your lighter that you are waving above your head. ‘High Road’ has hints of Iron Maiden about as it struts its stuff, majestic hooks and melodies weaving a path for the vocals to follow in a style not too dissimilar to story telling. At over eight minutes in length ‘World Of Decay’ slides in on the crest of some superb guitars, soulful vocals before changing mood and with some electrifying riffing, rockets off at pace, guitars blazing and a rampant rhythm. Catchy and infectious chorus lines, ‘World Of Decay’ is a song of epic proportions.
Mean and moody ‘Life Incomplete’ swings effortlessly through the rock, metal and doom genres, keeping the listener intrigued as to which way the song will turn next. Superb musicianship all round is making this debut release an entertaining and interesting listen. Swash buckling and bombastic are the only words to describe ‘One Mistake’ as it chugs on and on, with hints at (early) Testament. Before you scoff, just take a listen and you will hear. ‘Demons’ is the final song on the album, all bluff and bluster with a rougher and much tougher guitar sound. All round, this is a cracking debut and one that the band should be extremely proud of.
Overall, traditional sounding heavy metal, played with an exceptionally high level of musicianship, As Darkness Dies are a new force in the world of metal.
TRACKLIST
Black Death
Cloaked In Darkness
Searching For Light
Silent Wings
Ghost
Other Side
High Road
World Of Decay
Life Incomplete
One Mistake
Demons
This review was written for Frenzy Fire [http://www.frenzyfire.co.uk/fa_asdarknessdiesreviews.htm]
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