ALBUM REVIEW: Behold Sedition Plainsong – Dawn Ray’d

British black metal is certainly on a high with the likes of WINTERFYLLETH bearing the torch for the genre on these shores. Two years after the release of DAWN RAY’D‘s debut album The Unlawful Assembly, the Liverpudlians are rapidly on their way to join WINTERFYLLETH as the lords of atmospheric black metal with second album Behold Sedition Plainsong. Incorporating folk elements rather than distorted sonics, DAWN RAY’D are championing the more organic approaches to black metal and the result is stunning.

Haunting folk gets Behold Sedition Plainsong off to a mournful start in Raise The Flails. A battle cry rings out just before The Smell Of Ancient Dust leads the ferocious furore. The production is gnarly and raw like any good black metal album, but this provides the perfect contrast for the resonating strings. This opening track is full of what DAWN RAY’D have to offer and sets the cold precedent for the songs to come.

Like Smoke Into Fog has triumphant riffs set to a thrash pace and it’s oddly enthralling. When the folk emerges, the tone changes rapidly from a chaotic atmosphere to one of contemplation. The stark difference between the two styles creates a menacingly enticing sound. One thing which is interesting about DAWN RAY’D‘s brand of atmospheric black metal, is how average the song lengths are. In an expansive sub-genre, it’s fascinating how the band can convey all they need to in three to four minutes. Next track To All To All To All! follows the same ravaged metal to blissful folk blueprint, but the intense delivery makes for a beautifully rousing anthem.

A simple yet mesmerising melody graces A Time  For Courage At The Borderlands. Once the ruckus begins, it’s executed with unexpected elegance, making this track one of the most solid offerings on Behold Sedition Plainsong. Songs In The Key Of Compromise is more your traditional black metal; bleak, chilling and with ounces of uncertainty. The folk section is more reserved, ending the track with quiet reflection. This is soon interrupted with the terrific Until The Forge Goes Cold, with the vocals forever commanding the listener with their raspy pleas. The song is relentless and proves to be the most unforgiving.

The folk returns in A Stone’s Throw whose hushed approach provides the counterpart to the prior track’s assault. Soul-stirring chants awaken the spirit and bring a sense of order and charm to an album full of shadow. With its divine string accompaniment, the song is over all too soon. Doomy distortion spells the start of Soon We Be The Age Of Lessons Learnt. Colossal screams cut across the distorted guitars, stomping up a terrifying atmosphere. Things never simmer down as the pace quickens to a blackened cacophony.

Once you’ve caught your breath, the arresting Salvation Rite erupts to wind you again. In a genre where some riffs and structures run the risk of being dangerously similar, DAWN RAY’D are proving they have got what it takes to ensure each song has its unique stamp to keep things interesting. Album finale The Curse, The Dappled Light, proves that a black metal album has the ability to avoid outstaying its welcome, even at eleven songs long. Ending with restrained folk motifs, Behold Sedition Plainsong finishes in the same manner in which it began. The folk never sounds out of place or gimmicky. DAWN RAY’D are certainly onto a winning formula.

The promising band are only two albums into their career, yet their ambition and song writing talent is clearly evident on Behold Sedition Plainsong. A little more nurturing and refining of the style transitions is needed to achieve a seamless arrangement, but the potential is there. It’s exciting the band have two routes in front of them; to follow a darker dive into the depths of the genre, or to push the envelope of folk. Either way, DAWN RAY’D are sure to remain on their steady rise to the higher extreme metal nobility.

Rating: 8/10

Behold Sedition Plainsong is set for release on October 25th via Prosthetic Records.

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