Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2024 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
November 2024
- Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
- Lionville: Supernatural
- Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
- Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
- Lonerider: Down In The Dust
- Seventh Crystal: Entity
- Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
- Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
- Impellitteri: War Machine
- Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter
October 2024
- Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
- DGM: Endless
- Daytona: Garder la Flamme
- Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
- Frost*: Life In The Wires
- Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
- Fans Of The Dark: Video
- Radioactive: Reset
- House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
- Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire
September 2024
- Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
- Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
- Eclipse: Megalomanium II
- SteelCity: Reverence
- Hydra: ReHydrated
- Heartwind: III
- Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
- Find Me: Nightbound
- The Nail: The Nail
- Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
- Stryper: When We Were Kings
- Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
- Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
- Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly
August 2024
- Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
- Paralydium: Universe Calls
- Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
- Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
- All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
- Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
- Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2
Swallow the Sun: New Moon
Swallow the Sun: New Moon
Melodic Death/Doom Metal
Rating: 3.75/5.0
Spinefarm Records
www.myspace.com/swallowthesundoom
Review: Craig Hartranft, 11.15.2009
Finland's most promising heralds of doom and death metal, Swallow the Sun, are back with their fourth full length album, New Moon. Lead guitarist Juha Raivio describes the new work: 'This is the most progressive, sorrowful, beautiful and evil sounding album we have done so far. This time around, you can never be sure where the songs are going to take you. The depths of hell and heaven are carved deep into these songs.' Don't you love the way metal dudes talk with equal amounts of poetic conundrum and contrast. Nevertheless, Raivo description pretty much nails the character of New Moon.
The music is intriguing and expansive, enough to turn notions of conventional death or doom metal on its proverbial head. These Wood Breath Evil, Sleepless Swans, and mysterious and creepy Weight of the Dead turn more on somber and sorrowful melody than upon the plodding mire of doom (though it is present). Aleksi Munter's keyboards are fluid, tangible, and spooky throughout. On the death metal side, Mikko Kotamaki works his way through with the typical demonic growling and/or screaming. However, it's a shame to hear this as Kotamaki, when singing normally, is brilliant and compelling. Vocals withstanding, musically speaking New Moon is a terrific work, and fans of melodic death and doom metal should love it.
In Short
Swallow the Sun's fourth work New Moon is epic and compelling melodic death and doom metal, possibly their best album to date. However, it's weakened by the incessant growling and screaming vocals of Kotamaki who, when singing normally, has a compelling vocal style.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
New & Notable
eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]