Like a sedulous apprentice, Australia looks up to its masters from Europe and America and seems to benefit a lot from the lessons given by them. Sometimes the end result is just superb, to say the least! Not only does this country’s metal scene take over the best achievements of the two biggest metal continents on the planet but it also gradually mutates into a metal “platypus” of sorts, much like its weird flora and fauna. It would be suffice to name Be’lakor, Virgin Black, Alchemist and Voyager among others to see that it’s not an overstatement. The new name I would recommend to anyone beating the bushes for something fresh in Melodic Death Metal is a rather obscure quintet from Perth called Red Descending.

Where Dreams Come To Die, the band’s self released debut, had reached me only by the end of 2008, but this and the fact that I had only spent half a month with it by the time I started this review didn’t prevent me from placing it on my top thirty of the year. I can’t say that I’m absolutely blown away with any song presented here, but I feel more than content with most of them. For you to have a proper notion of the Red Descending sound, try fantasizing of what it would be like if the bands like Rotting Christ, Ensiferum, Amorphis and Kalmah combined forces to strike an integrated and crushing blow with the best armaments in their arsenal. Yet, the picture would be incomplete if there were not added some malicious Black Metal atmospheres thrown in here and there and the elements of modernism shown through as subtle, bizarre synths and keyboards.

Nearly all the songs are equally enjoyable and shine with lots of bright tunes and interesting moves. If I only say that “The Grand Memory” stands out due to the damn catchy riff pattern and twin solo harmonies I will do a sort of disservice to “Deceived Again”, “Departure” and some others that can also boast of quite tasty guitar licks. The closing blast of energy “Landscape” is excellent at juggling with Black Metal tonalities and Power Metal gallops. My favorite piece “Fragile Nation” has stolen my heart with its wicked atmospheres and fascinating Asian motifs. Another highlight “Slaughter Falls” features an exceptionally captivating “the beauty and the beast” vocal combat between the band’s bassist/growler Bernard Show and guest female singer Rebecca Brennan.

All in all, Where Dreams Come To Die is an excellent start from another up and coming band with huge potential. It’s a shame that such releases from new and unknown bands have to stay in the shade of some more hyped-up contemporaries, though they sometimes not only beat them on the part of originality but in every other metal aspect as well.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments