After having released albums with DAWN OF SOLACE and WOLFHEART, Finnish multi-instrumentalist Tuomas Saukkonen is back with a new album from a resurrected band. “Stormbringers” is BEFORE THE DAWN’s newest release since 2012’s “Rise of the Phoenix,” and features a new line-up with Paavo Laapotti on vocals, Juho Räihä on lead guitar, Pyry Hanski on bass, and himself on drums, keyboards, and vocals. The album came out on June 30th, 2023, through Napalm Records.
A lot more accessible and easy to listen to than most albums in the genre of melodic death metal because of the great usage of melodic hooks, “Stormbringers” features a fair amount of clean vocals, some keys, and grooves, but also contrasting harsh vocals, great guitar work, and punchy drums. If most of these were already staples of the genre, the layering of clean and harsh vocals really elevates some of the tracks and adds texture to the overall soundscape of the album. The mix of these elements also makes for great variety among the songs, with plenty of ebbs and flows that lead to an engaging album with a great playability value, while the tracks still sound cohesive and connected across the board.
Short intro “The Dawn” offers an ominous atmosphere punctuated by keys and percussion that transitions nicely into “Destroyer,” where punchy guitars and energetic drums create a wall of sound, while the aforementioned vocal layering makes the main vocal melody feel fuller and more robust. Things get somewhat heavier with “Reveries,” as harsh vocals and excellent guitar lines juxtapose cleans, while the melodies are free-flowing, resulting in a rather enjoyable track. This usage of clean/harsh combo may be an old trick, but it has stood the test of time, still adding a lot of dynamics and energy whenever employed. So far, “Stormbringers” is more melodic metal with hints of death metal, very akin to AMORPHIS’s “Queen of Time,” a comparison which should be taken as a compliment.
There is one minor issue here, however: the clean vocals don’t always sound good to my ear, they feel flat and nasally, lacking depth and resonance. Case in point: mid-tempo track “Downhearted,” “Chaos Star,” and melody-drenched “Reveries” are songs that thrive on their melodic foundations but unfortunately, the clean singing just isn’t up to par, which may be a production issue more than anything else. On the plus side, the guitar work from Juho Räihä (SWALLOW THE SUN) more than makes up for any drawbacks, and tracks like “Chains” and “Divided” have one hell of an intro melody, while “Destroyer” boasts a great solo. The vocal trade-off between Paavo Laapotti’s cleans and the nasty growls gives “Chains” a neat dynamic, while the layering saves the clean vocals by giving them the much-needed depth; it’s the guitars though that really carry this groovy track.
Up next, “Divided” mixes things up, having the cleans as back-up for the harsh vocals, which is a nice change of pace. This aspect, together with the thunderous drums and the bursts of melody coming from the guitars, makes this a highlight of the album. Moody piano melodies, fast-paced drums, more layering/harmonizing of cleans and harsh vocals contrasting with deep growls elevates “The Dark” into the real melodeath moment on the album. Closing track “The Weight” is another great melodeath piece, boasting melancholy ambiance, thick riffing, and a neat ebb-and-flow to the music that smoothly transitions between soaring cleans and deep growls with the instrumental side rising and falling accordingly. If only the album featured more of such intense compositions…
All things considered, “Stormbringers” is not just a strong comeback album, but a promising return from BEFORE THE DAWN with plenty to offer to old fans, as well as bring in some new ones. It may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to melodic death metal, but it boasts fluid guitar leads, incredible melodies, and plenty of singalong moments that would work well in a live setting. It’s a well-balanced and varied yet consistent album with great flow to the music that only grows heavier and better as it progresses, showcasing a band that has still got what it takes to write moody melodeath bangers.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. The Dawn
2. Destroyer
3. Reveries
4. Downhearted
5. Chains
6. Divided
7. The Dark
8. Chaos Star
9. The Weight
Lineup
- Paavo Laapotti – vocals
- Tuomas Saukkonen – drums, guitars, vocals
- Juho Räihä – guitars
- Pyry Hanski – bass
Label
Napalm Records
