ALBUM REVIEW: Ages – Dawnwalker

Terms like ‘progressive’ and ‘experimental’ are thrown around a lot in metal nowadays. So much so that it can be difficult to know what to expect when a band describes themselves as such. One thing you can usually count on though is a desire to push boundaries and try new things. That’s definitely true of London-based progressive metallers DAWNWALKER. The band formed in 2012, and since then have featured a revolving line-up “spearheaded by lead songwriter Mark Norgate.” Ages is their fourth full-length album, and it comes just eight months after their impressive Crestfallen EP.

The band say that “there are no two DAWNWALKER records that sound the same.” This isn’t untrue, but such a statement may obscure the fact that their albums definitely have some common musical threads. All of them have an undeniably epic feel; they’re all deeply melodic; and they all feature touches of intense metallic savagery. Ages is no exception. It’s a record which draws comparisons to the likes of THE PINEAPPLE THIEF and OPETH in particular. Perhaps more so than any of its predecessors however, it sees the band regularly veer into more blackened territory. It also features the odd touch of doom as well, a prime example heard on the album’s fourth track, Ancient Sands.

‘Epic’ is a word that springs to mind pretty quickly on Ages. The album opens with Melekh, a two and a half minute instrumental of grand, ominous swells of strings and cymbals. The epic feel continues on the next track The Wheel. This is the first of several lengthy, dynamic pieces on Ages, with Norgate flitting between bard-like cleans and abrasive screamed vocals. It’s a strong song which hits home the OPETH comparisons in particular. It also highlights another important feature of Ages: its beauty. This is even more clear on the short interlude which follows, entitled Hymn. This piece is just a minute long, but its clean guitars and ethereal synths make it incredibly moving nonetheless. It’s a trait which rears its head at multiple points throughout the rest of the record, and almost always elevates its quality.

The first three songs make for a strong opening, but they’re comfortably topped by the already mentioned Ancient Sands. This is another long song, with heavy blackened touches, more melodic beauty, and some spidery MASTODON-esque riffs. It makes a strong contender the best track on the record, and serves as a testament to DAWNWALKER’s ability to link varied and interesting musical ideas into a cohesive and impressive work. After this, the band provide another shorter interlude in the form of Numi. This one features driving toms, more ominous strings, ethereal vocals and a flute. It’s a perfectly fine piece, if not a little throwaway.

Sixth track Burning World is another decent song. In particular it shows off more of Norgate‘s impressive vocals – often a standout feature of the record. DAWNWALKER raise the bar again however on the following song Colony. A Gathering, which serves as the other contender for Ages‘ best track. It’s another thoughtful piece, with a stunning melodic vocal chant that’s sure to stick in listeners’ heads for hours. It ends on a lengthy odd-time jam which features another flute solo and some full-on tech metal chugging. Colony. A Gathering also shows that DAWNWALKER definitely aren’t afraid to stay in one place for a little while either. Here, they do so to mesmerising, trance-inducing effect, going on for far longer than they should really be able to get away with.

One thing there’s no getting away from on Ages is its length. Four of the eight songs all top 11 minutes, with another nearly hitting six. Admittedly it probably wouldn’t be prog without this, but its 58 minute runtime does make for quite the undertaking. Another challenge DAWNWALKER, and indeed many prog bands, face is the linking together of complex ideas. While, for the most part, they do this to a high standard as on Ancient Sands, there are a couple of points where the band make a sharp left turn which can take some getting used to. Again, this is a criticism one could level at pretty much any ‘progressive’ record, so it shouldn’t really put listeners off.

Minor gripes aside, Ages is an interesting and creative record from a deeply capable band. As it ends on the triumphant-yet-melancholy The Cataclysm, it really feels like DAWNWALKER are a band who require some genuine investment from their listeners. Ages may be a long record, and it will probably take a few goes to really get into, but it’s definitely worth bearing with as an exciting offering from a band who feel as though their best is yet to come.

Rating: 8/10

Ages is out now via self-release.

Like DAWNWALKER on Facebook.