Release date: April 23rd 2021. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Dawn Of Days –Tracklisting
1.Dawn Of Days
2.Death Blows Cold
3.Haggard
4.Thrown On Spikes
5.Suicide Funeral
Members
Jerry Orne: Bass, Vocals
Jeremy Kibort: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Chris Giguere: Guitars
Dan Blomquist: Drums
Review
Dawn Of Days is the 2nd full length album from New England Doom/Sludge Metallers Conclave and comes 5 years after their fantastic debut album Sins Of The Elders. What strikes you most about the 5 songs contained on the album is how Conclave never waiver or back-down in bringing their heavy style of Progressive Doom/Sludge Metal. The band do add elements of Psych Rock and Stoner Metal on the album but it’s mostly the Doom/Sludge Metal parts of the album that makes this album really standout.
Opening song – Dawn Of Days is 8:06 minutes of pure aggressive therapy for Doom/Sludge Metal fans with the band weaving bleak atmospheric gloomy riffs and world-weary lyrics for a more bombastic approach. Jerry’s growls are bang on-point but easily understandable. There are some cool chants in the middle part of the song but the band keep the mood interesting and varied with their “pissed-off” style of Progressive Doom and Sludge Metal they employ for this song and the majority of the record.
Second song – Death Blows Cold – sees Conclave hit the ground running for another well constructed track of Modern Doom Metal and Progressive Sludge based grooves. The song does open with a more classic style of Thrash Metal allowing the band to do their own blend of “riff-worship” with some epic guitar solos along the way. Though, the band return to their set style of Doom/Sludge Metal. This is a superbly written track that brings a bleak Psychedelic narrative to Conclave’s dark world.
The other 3 songs on the album – Haggard, Thrown On Spikes and Suicide Funeral – follow the same structure and groove based objectives as the first 2 songs on the album but this is a good thing as you know what to expect on the record. There maybe no hidden surprises but this works to Conclave advantage. As they do go BIGGER, BOLDER and HEAVIER on these 3 songs and perhaps the most exciting parts of the record.
The final two songs – Thrown On Spikes and Suicide Funeral – is were the band excel writing bleak based lyrics and even threatening riffs which airs on the right side of Progressive Metal.
Dawn Of Days is backed up by first-rate production values with Eric Sauter and Conclave on engineering and producing duties. The album has been helped along by a certain Esben Williams of MONOLORD fame who mastered the album from his acclaimed Studio Berserk. So KUDOS to everyone involved as the album sounds brilliant throughout.
Dawn Of Days is what you need from a modern and progressive based Doom/Sludge Metal album. An album packed full of great sounds and ideas that will leave you wanting more.
This is a must have album. End Of….
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for the promo. Dawn Of Days will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Argonauta Records from April 23rd 2021.
Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
