Hammer of Dawn releases its second EP.
Formed in 2019, the band released Ketor, their first EP, in 2021, followed by Uzil, their second creation, in 2022. Some will have understood, the band consisting of Zed Kelley (guitar), Beau Tilley (drums), Stefano Franceschini (bass, Hideous Divinity, Aborted), Mac Smith (vocals, Necropathy, Alterbeast, ex-Krosis) and Francesco Ferrini (orchestrations, Fleshgod Apocalypse) is based on the Gears of War universe.
Let’s start with Ketor, the band’s first EP, which begins with the eponymous introduction, revealing some ominous sounds created by keyboards and samples before Fleshless, the first track, comes to strike. One immediately notices the violence of the sound, alternating between massive riffs and technical elements, but also the extremely powerful vocal parts, whether in the cavernous growl or in the piercing screams. The Palace of the Kantus follows with mysterious elements which quickly call for massive rhythm and screams, coupling effective riffs with majestic orchestrations to create a wave of unstoppable and jerky violence, then the disturbing outro drives us to Wretches! an overpowering composition on which the band welcomes Sven de Caluwé (Aborted, Coffin Feeder, Fetal Blood Eagle, Bent Sea…) to accentuate the raw violence deployed by the fast and heavy riffs. Winter brings some groove to the combo’s aggressive riffs without denying the oppressive and dark atmosphere as well as the musicians’ mastery, then the EP ends with Trinity of Worms, where the band invites Enrico H. Di Lorenzo (Hideous Divinity) for an incredibly intense and massive vocal duet which perfectly fits the ambient aggressiveness.
The band’s second EP, Uzil starts with Declaration of the Dark Horse, a composition which immediately brings us into an apocalyptic atmosphere with this epic intro sample, but also with massive, fast and aggressive riffs, topped by the vocalist’s devastating screams. The band welcomes Filip Danielsson (Humanity’s Last Breath, In Reverence) to give Vantablack an incredibly efficient and very dark soaring Deathcore touch which plays a lot on the moshparts before Kryllstorm comes back in more melodious and airy tones. Violence is obviously the track’s main element, but we will also hear piercing leads creating energetic surges while raw screams reveal their strength, then Oliver Rae Aleron Peters (Archspire) and Dallas Toler-Wade (Narcotic Wasteland, ex-Nile) join the band for massive vocal additions. The three vocalists clearly unleash Hell on this track with an impressive rhythmic followed by epic orchestrations, and then it’s already time to close the EP with 11th Gale (14 A.E.), a last massive and oppressive composition which plays on heavy tones before the rhythmic bursts into life to reach its cruising speed and crush everything on its way.
Hammer of Dawn is definitely one of the most aggressive projects from the recent years. First with Ketor, then with Uzil, the band reveals its massive and worked futuristic universe while selecting its guests to give the tracks a real added value.
95/100