Dååth is reborn.
From 2000 (under the name Dirtnap) to 2013, the band gradually made a name for itself in the Death/Groove Metal scene, but was eventually forced to call it a day. In 2022, Eyal Levi (guitar) and Sean Zatorsky (vocals, Sinsaenum, ex-Chimaira) recruited Jesse Zuretti (guitar/keyboards, Binary Code), David Marvuglio (bass), Kerim “Krimh” Lechner (drums, Septicflesh, ex-Decapitated… ), then Rafael Trujillo (guitar, Obsidious, ex-Obscura) to get the ball rolling again, resulting in The Deceivers, his fifth album, released on Metal Blade Records.
Guitarists Spiro Dussias, Dan Sugarman (Ice Nine Kills, ex-As Blood Runs Black), Dean Lamb (Archspire), Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry), Mark Holcomb (Periphery) and Jeff Loomis (ex-Arch Enemy, ex-Nevermore) were also invited to take part in the solos.
The band kicks off with No Rest No End, a calm introduction that quickly becomes more majestic thanks to the orchestrations and the acceleration, allowing the rhythm section to welcome the furious vocal parts. The impressive tone is perfect to complement the catchy groove and its solo, then it’s back to tranquility as the band leads us into the heady Hex Unending, where keyboards take on a much more prominent role, guiding the virulent riffs. We also have a darker passage before the leads hypnotize us, then heaviness picks up again before giving way to Ascension, which mistreats us in the same way, leaving a few soaring touches to appear from time to time above the energetic rhythm. The band continues with With Ill Desire, where technicality and speed seem to be the key words to compete with the Symphonic roots we hear from time to time, then dissonance resurfaces within The Silent Foray and its strangely captivating harmonics. The break also reveals a few airy samples, but violence soon returns to take advantage of raw elements to assert their dominance before a slower final followed by Unwelcome Return, which speeds off again, placing syncopated patterns for maximum effectiveness. The usual orchestrations naturally find their place to magnify the sound, then Mick Gordon joins the team for Purified by Vengeance, giving it a more modern and even theatrical approach by offering them powerful orchestrations. A few ominous notes give us a moment’s respite before Deserving of the Grave begins its wild ride at a frantic tempo, but with a hint of melancholy on the choruses and final, then Into Forgotten Dirt closes the album with massive tones that integrate very easily with the aggressive riffs and their various influences.
For their comeback, Dååth have pulled out all the stops, forging a solid line-up with quality guests! The Deceivers offers the opposite of its name, and will be a slap in the face for long-time fans, while winning the hearts of many new headbangers!
95/100
