Thy Majestie has managed to hold together despite some damning lineup changes, and now a venture into an internal gutting that leads to a slight variation on their sound. They came out of their cocoon of changes as a prog infused Rhapsody influenced outfit. How exactly is that different from what they were before? Just check out the mind numbing thunder drums of "Day of the Changes" and the wild reckless guitars that explode off of every song. There's more prog and less forced power metal. Speaking of "Day of the Changes" it does shift enough to be interesting, even in its silly faerie dance Celtic bit that could have been replicated from Rhapsody's first album and a dash of Blind Guardian on the side for good measure. It is perhaps more charming than silly.
And it's been a rough ride for this band. Dario Grillo was in, out and then in the band again, only to ultimately leave. Another Dario was chosen, Dario Cascio, and he sounds roughly pretty much like all the other Italian bred metal singers. Which is not a terrible thing, but neither does it help to set them apart from everyone else writing fantasy material and working out their double drums frenzies. Grillo just had such an overwhelming presence, and the band has adjusted their songwriting to better illustrate Cascio's singing. That means some of the purely awesome tracks wrapped in a mind numbingly epic package, have been twisted into a progressive bent.
The disc has been split into three chapters, with the final two part punch act of "Vandetta - A New Dawn" yielding the best of "Dawn" in the form of "Through Heat and Fire" a rollicking rampaging power metal romper that is freshly familiar.
"To An Endless Devotion" is a pompous track that uses keyboards to wondrous effect, dramatic backing vocals to accent the lead, and an overall sound that is a combination of decade old sounds from current bands such as Labyrinth ("Return to Heaven Denied"), Symphony X, and Kamelot ("Siege Perilous"). The chorus is magnificent, the guitars are finely laced in the song, and the instrumental interlude in the midst has these crystal keys that rain down like magic, and then is kicked into a bubbly guitar solo. The manner in which all elements come together is fascinating and keeps the interest running high where other bands would have degenerated into repetitive rubbish. It's just all so very likable. Even when they go the all-instrument route and leave the vocals out of the proceedings, it still manages to not be too ridiculously noodly, although these "atmospheric breakdowns" do bog down the pacing of the disc considerably.
"Dawn" is a very good album, one that could have tanked, being as it doesn't bother trying to tell a complete story like their previous concept albums have, nor does it have any songs in the league of "The Chosen" (which is a magnificent Rhapsody/Kamelot type song that has to be reckoned with).
The disc is rife with clichés but balances this by having excellent musicianship and songs that know how to cater to the voice that's leading them. And its all just quirky enough and written in a manner that excites the listener and keeps them glued to the speakers, no matter how many whispers of "deja vu" lurks in your mind afterward. A (likely to be) overlooked album that deserves a place on your power/prog music shelf.Written by
Alanna Monday, September 22, 2008
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