Released by: CapsAArx
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Prog Power Metal
Links: http://www.dakesis.com/
Line Up:
Gemma Lawler – Vocals / Keys
Matt Jones – Guitar
Amie Chatterley – Bass
Adam Harris – Drums
Tracklist:
01. Overture: The Darkest Hour
02. The New Dawn
03. Betrayal
04. Destined For The Flame
05. The Great Insurrection
06. To Conquer Or Die
07. Intermezzo: Meridian
08. Judgement Day
09. The Sacrifice
10. Autumn
11. The Seventh Sky
12. Call To Freedom
13. By The Fading Light
‘The New Dawn’ is the brand new release from Birmingham progressive power metalers ‘Dakesis’. The album is mixed by Nino Laurenne (Ensiferum, Wintersun, Stratovarious and Firewind) and mastered by Svante Forsbacká (Rammstein, Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica, Apocalyptica).
Its been a full 5 yrs since their debut release ‘Trial By Fire’ , but in this time the band have undergone some tribulations including line up changes, which sees the departure of vocalist/guitarist Wayne Dorman and Gemma Lawler taking up vocal duties and vacating the keys. This sees a brand new direction for the band becoming more progressive with a hard edge.
‘Overture The Darkest Hour’ is a vikinic instrumental prelude of whats to come over the next 13 tracks. Soft, moody, then with a rumble of drums you are transformed to another era where vikings roam and music roars.
‘The New Dawn’ just as the opener fades with a pow and a zap you are hit with double kick drums and frantic guitars only the soothing vocals from ‘Gemma Lawler’ saves you as you hail and scream frantically to a New Dawn. This track signifies a whole new direction for the band a brand New Dawn if you like with ‘Gemma’ now taking up vocal duties and ‘Jacob Underwood’ taking up the keyboard duties vacated by ‘Gemma’.
The pace heats up even more for ‘Destined For The Flame’ and ‘The Great Insurrection’, where the guitar of ‘Matt Jones’ is scorching as he and ‘Amie Chatterley’ on bass shred their way into your senses, only the soothing calming vocals of Gemma can save you from being shredded to obscurity as you wave your horns aloft and scream like a banshee at the gods of Dakesis.
‘Judgement Day’ is an anthemic little number which starts with a calm and soothing acoustic guitar, before being joined by keys bass and vocals, still calming until around midway when the chunky guitar kicks in with the double kick drums, before calmly fading out.
There is even room on ‘The New Dawn’ for not one but two monster tracks by the way of ‘The Seventh Sky’ coming in at 17.49 and ‘By The Fading Light’ at a mear 11.42 not that you would notice as each track is like being told a bedtime story by an angel on your shoulder, but as you drift off the guitars drums and bass shake you up and spin you around before the angelic vocals sooth and calm you. Before once more being shaken by the mighty guitars of Matt Jones as he fingers faster than an eighties porn star.
There is two duets on the album the first being ‘Betrayal’ which sees ‘The Mighty Wraith ‘vocalist ‘Matt Gore’ lending his considerable talent and range, which sees both vocalists giving their all, both in turn then together for what is a mini slice of sublime theater. ‘Autumn’ sees drummer ‘Adam Harris’ prove he is also an excellent vocalist as this mini ballad is played out infectiously and is one of the stand out tracks from the album.
Review: Shane Bradley
Rating 10/10
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