Throes Of Dawn
Binding of the Spirit
World War III / Mercenary
Throes Of Dawn plays highly operatic dark/ black metal, heavy on the keyboards and theatrics. The vocals are very guttural and evil, being growled from one of the raspiest sounding throats I’ve ever heard. Binding of the Spirit is a very high quality, dark and depressing folkish black metal record that will please even the most cynical or critics.
One of this record’s most unique qualities would have to be the abundance of stringed instruments and synthesizers being played throughout. The album’s title track sounds like a symphony being led by a black metal singer! That’s what’s great about this record though, is that the band can go from beautiful instrumental sections to pounding and heavy riffing, replete with speed picking and blast beats, to a lightly rocking section with chanted vocals (see “The Hermit”). The majority of the tracks on Binding… are similar in that formula.
I personally can’t really get into this; it’s just too dark and evil, and there doesn’t seem to be any bass guitar (as is the case with most black metal bands). I just wasn’t able to get past the overtly gothic keyboards. The thing is, though, I can appreciate that these guys are awesome musicians and that the recording quality of this record is incredible! Pretty much all fans of dark / death metal will raise a fist of triumph in the air over this one.
World War III: http://www.ww3music.com
