Recommendation: Dawnbringer "Catharsis Instinct"

[Necromunchkin]

For my second and final recommendation, I've chosen Dawnbringer's "Catharsis Instinct." Details about the band are scarce, though it was originally the creation of John Weston, an obscure figure in the D.C./Virginia metal scene. I know Professor Black was involved with producing them initially, but now it appears he has taken over entirely. Maybe he'll see this and offer a bit background, because I honestly have no idea what happened to John Weston, only that I love his songwriting. From the rare interviews he gave, he seemed pretty reclusive, so it's possible he just decided he didn't want to deal with the hassles of recording albums in the current scheme.

As for the music: fucking stellar melodic death/thrash done the way it should be done, without the cliched suck factor. So toss out the automatic references in your brain. For one thing, the traditional and thrash metal influence here is absolutely undeniable, as is a songwriting sensibility few of this style can match. It's darker, more throughly authentic, and the songs will stick in your head for days. This album owns just about any other in the genre in terms of songwriting and riffing. Give it a try, and find yourself recalling the best aspects of this style of metal.

They just released a new album, actually, and are on Battle Kommand records. You can check out new shit and find out more info there
http://www.battlekommand.com/



Dawnbringer "Catharsis Instinct" (2000, Icarus Records)

1. The Day the Deaf Went Blind
http://download.yousendit.com/59E45A1C6C215145
2. Shoot to Kill
3. All Hell Breaks Loose
4. The Man Who Could Not Die http://download.yousendit.com/36C881D507FCFD60
(^ Perhaps my favorite song on the album)
5. Mudslicer
6. Bleeding City (instrumental)
7. Halfman http://download.yousendit.com/AAF8D4A80BE29227
8. What Are You Running From?
9. Heart Particle
10. Beggars & Children
11. Cosmos Disease http://download.yousendit.com/4BBBA05152B8A21B
12. DNA (outro)

 

[dill_the_devil]

I downloaded 'There And Back' from their latest release from the Battle Kommand website a while back, and really enjoyed it - really unusual blend of a dark, aggressive vibe but with really, really hooky melodic lead work and an almost rock and roll feel. Doesn't sound like they've altered their sound too much from their first album, judging by these samples - although I haven't heard any of the fairly unique-sounding clean vox that are present on 'There And Back' yet!

BTW, you uploaded 'The Day the Deaf Went Blind' rather than 'Shoot to Kill' as your first track.

 

[Necromunchkin]

Whoops, corrected. Was the track I wanted to upload but put it in the wrong place. Glad I'm getting sleep again, maybe now I'll notice these little things. And there is little if any clean vocal work on this and their first album. That seems mostly something Professor Black brought on board, but when John Weston was heading doing the vocals it was all rasp pushed back in the mix.

 

[JayKeeley]

It's interesting that you recommended this band. In the recent LotFP, they also spotlighted (spotlit?) - reviewed - this band albeit the latest release.

I have to say, I think the new stuff is better simply because of the clean vocals. I actually think the clean vocals on "There and Back" are more interesting than those on Pharoah.

But even with the new stuff, or at least with "There and Back" and a song like "The Day went Blind" is that it has that constant 'bang bang bang bang' drum pattern, that sounds like a machine. (Is it a drum machine?)

To me, this band falls under the 'close but no cigar' category. I wish they would vary up the tempos some. Even when you take the song "The Man who could not Die", they go back to that bam bam bam percussion.

Some definite plus points though -- great 80's rockin' solos, Black's vox on the new one....for me, Dawnbringer needs to become a little more "british" heavy metal and less "gothenburg" melodic death metal, if that makes sense.

 

[Necromunchkin]

Nope, real drummer.

 

[skyrefuge]

weird, I actually own this album, and I'm not even sure why. It's ok, but it really lacks dynamics or something. Maybe it's just the buried vocals that put me off. I should probably listen to it some more.

Oh, and doesn't Tim Aymar sing for Pharaoh?

Neil

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh, and doesn't Tim Aymar sing for Pharaoh?

Yep, but the clean vox on Dawnbringer's new release (well, the one track I've head anyway) sound quite interesting. Not standard US power metal style anyway. The new release has been getting great write-ups, but I'd like to hear a bit more first...

 

[Professor Black]

Nice reviews of the new album here:
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/stypod

and here:
http://www.silentuproar.com

Please buy it so I can make another one!

 

[unknown]

I just bought this cd and fucking love(d) it. might have to do my own write up

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

I've got Dawnbringer's first couple albums, I really enjoyed them...