Dawn of Solace rises again.
Three years after their last album, Tuomas Saukkonen (guitar/saturated vocals/bass/drums, Before the Dawn, Wolfheart…) and Mikko Heikkilä (clean vocals, Kaunis Kuolematon, ex-Sinamore, ex-H/L…) unveil Affliction Vortex, the band’s fourth album, on Noble Demon.
They are accompanied by Saku Moilanen (Before the Dawn, Red Moon Architect, Slaughterror…) on keyboards and Jukka Salovaara (Sole Remedy, ex-Before the Dawn, ex-Dawn of Solace) on lead guitar.
Inception’s coldness opens us its doors, gradually tinged with an eerie ambience that eventually gives life to Murder and its hypnotic melodies, quickly joined by Mikko‘s vocals. The track calms down and naturally becomes very gentle, but becomes powerful and majestic again when Tuomas‘ screamed backing vocals join the chorus, but it soon gives way to Fortress, a new heady composition that alternates easily between tranquility and lively energy. Doom roots remain in the majority, allowing that haunting veil to remain even as the leads soar before joining Into the Light, an immediately heavier track where the double pedal seems to lead the charge. The howls are also much more piercing, creating an interesting vocal diversity before Rival takes over, still alternating between a streamlined rhythm where the vocalist leads the dance and more intense waves of saturation. Some moments are livelier and catchier, while Invitation is once again anchored in this almost oppressive slowness populated by soaring vocals, but a few cries will set things alight and deliver the furious solo before returning to normal. Dream then blossoms into an infinite gentleness, barely disturbed by drums and their few moments of rage, but Perennial will show us a more dissonant side of the band’s music. The screamed vocals give it a more usual appearance, but the track follows its course, leading to Mother Earth, the last composition where the two voices once again blend and bewitch us with their own rhythm, before letting the keyboards gradually bring us back to ourselves.
Melancholy is second nature to Dawn of Solace, and the musicians are the perfect messengers. Affliction Vortex offers them the chance to bring their coldness to life, while exploring relatively new tonalities that suit their universe.
90/100
Interview coming soon.