Abysmal Dawn was formed in 2003 after Charles Elliott decided to leave his former band Rise. Elliott regrouped with Jamie Boulanger, his friend from an older band of his. With the addition of Terry Barajas and session bassist Mike Bear, the lineup was complete, so the band started working on writing songs. After a successful demo in 2004, here is their debut album, From Ashes.
From Ashes is blackened death metal with scorching vocals and god-heavy guitar work, and thundering rhythm parts. Elliot is not only an exceptional guitar player, but he is also a very aggressive singer - a perfect fit for old school US death metal. His growling is deep and pain-ridden, but he will also opt for black shrieks on tracks like "In the Hands of Death", a song with speedy riffs and hammering drum work. Towards the end of the track, Elliott shifts from low growls to shrieked black screams lending it an old-school black metal vibe. The guitar tandem of Abysmal Dawn is tight and blessed with chops to boot. The fast chord progressions on "Blacken the Sky" suggest a progressive outlook in their songwriting vision. Barjas' cymbal work crashes loudly, as Jamie Boulanger lays down a punishing guitar solo, with stop-start bass and drum attacks interspersed in between. The band's thrashy roots come through on "Servants to Their Knees" and "Wicked Impulse", the former featuring minor pace changes and Egyptian scales, while the latter is filled with an Alex Skolnick type of neoclassical run that really heightens the song's scope. A similar solo is offered on "Solitude's Demise", also introducing a more straightforward vocal style by Elliott. The brief yet effective "State of Mind" displays the band's atmospheric side with painful growls that we'd normally hear on funeral doom bands' albums, but it's the guitar work that constitutes Abysmal Dawn's strongest aspect. At only 31 minutes, the album is packed with some of the most fluid, well-composed, and violent riffs, licks and solos you'll hear. Add to this Elliott's strong vocals and a challenging rhythmic angle, and there you have it: From Ashes.
The album was engineered by John Haddad (Eyes of Fire) and its artwork was done by Par Olofsson known for his works with Deeds of Flesh and Psycroptic. The production is solid and the mix serves its purpose. With all of this considered, it's safe to say Abysmal Dawn have made a good start.
Track Listing
- Impending Doom
- In the Hands of Death
- Blacken the Sky
- Servants to Their Knees
- Wicked Impulse
- Solitude's Demise
- State of Mind
- Salting the Earth
- Crown Desire
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