Before The Dawn – Decade of Darkness

Releasedate: 04-02-2011; Label: Cyclone Empire
By: Sabine van Gameren

Before The Dawn has been a project of the Finnish multi-talented musician Tuomas Saukkonen since 1999. Originally, “Decade of Darkness” has been released in 2010 but anno 2011 it will get further distribution in Europe via Cyclone Empire. The European version will come with a bonus DVD that holds live footage of Summer Breeze 2009.

While Before The Dawn is now signed with Nuclear Blast and has a new release coming up in a few weeks, this EP certainly warms you up for what is next. In the songs you hear a strong connection with the previously released album “Soundscape of Silence”. Clean vocals are more present in here, though in general they stick with that what we know from them. The EP contains seven tracks, but two of them come in different versions. A live recording has been included for these and in here you can hear that the can stick up with the vehemence of the album as well in a live show. As a closer the Finns have included a symphonic version of “Deadsong” which is quite surprising, but gorgeously done. The sad atmosphere comes really forward in this track and is one song that makes you want to buy the EP for. Fans who feel seven tracks is not enough have to wait a couple more weeks. Their new album “Deathstar Rising” will be released in the end of February.

Line Up:
Tuomas Saukkonen – Harsh Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Acoustic Guitars
Lars Eikind Eric Si – Clean Vocals, Bass
Juho Räihä – Guitars
Atte Palokangas – Drums

Tracklist: 01. Decade of Darkness 02. End of Days 03. Insomnia 04. Painless 05. Painless (live) 06. Deadsong (live) 07. Deadsong (Symphony Version)

Links:
Before The Dawn Facebook
Before The Dawn Official