9

Dawn of the Dead

The Argent Dawn, an up and coming UK death metal crew that presumably take their name from World of Warcraft, mix the more traditional slow death metal bludgeon of the past with some dreaded breakdowns and the odd moment of brutal grind. Lead growler Jamie Harrison mixes up guttural barks with clear phrasing making him a distinctive vocalist and focal point for the band’s blackened riffs. ‘The End’ is a wonderful example of slow and crushing extreme metal while the riffs swirl and drums pulverise on cuts like ‘Veil of Disgust’. Their mix of influences from the new and old schools (Napalm Death and Decapitated to The Acacia Strain) keeps the record from sounding too one dimensional and there’s little let up on ‘A Blank Eternity’ as the layers of grim and oppressive music build up. On this evidence The Argent Dawn are a welcome addition to the burgeoning UK extreme metal scene and have an undoubtedly dark future.