ALBUM REVIEW: Dawn Of A New Epoch – Cidesphere

A unique gem of a band, CIDESPHERE hail from Ankara, Turkey, where they’re regarded as a highly influential act on the region’s underground metal circuit. Prior to Dawn Of A New Epoch they had put out only two releases; a 2000 split EP with fellow countrymen SUICIDE and Interment…, their 2003 debut full-length. These works influenced a whole generation of Turkish metal acts, however the band split up just two years later, with guitarist Başar Çetin going on to join goregrind act CENOTAPH and vocalist Oral Akyol recording two albums with CARNOPHAGE.

CIDESPHERE reformed in 2018, and have returned with their second full-length Dawn Of A New Epoch. Their sound has seen a few changes and alterations, however they’re mostly still recognisable as the band that produced Interment… back in the dim and distant days of 2003. This is likely down to their lineup remaining the same, barring the addition of SUICIDE drummer Goremaster on drums. Dawn Of A New Epoch sees CIDESPHERE shift up a gear from where that previous album left off, as they streamline and refine the sound that made them such cult legends all those years ago.

Whereas Interment… was a blend of multiple differing styles of death metal, the primary sonic influence on Dawn Of A New Epoch is the Gothenburg brand of melodic death metal. The influence of AT THE GATES is especially prominent, with numerous tracks making use of the Swedish band’s distinct interlocking drum and guitar linearity. This sort of lifting isn’t especially problematic, in fact, the songs that make the most use of it, specifically the opening one-two of Reborn Into Extinction and Plague Of Greed, are among the most exhilaratingly performed and technically astute tracks on the whole album. Yes, CIDESPHERE’s homage to this sound isn’t very original, but at least they’re cribbing from the very best.

This melodious approach to their death metal brutality is woven through the whole album, with the riffs maintaining this soaring approach even on the heaviest and faster tracks. The technique remains in place despite the relentless pace of the album, which, compared to Interment… and its acoustic breaks and lengthy solos, rarely takes its foot off the accelerator. This linearity to CIDESPHERE’s song craft is especially fun, with tracks like Sacred Patronage and its subtly complex song structure, as well as the tapped guitar heroics of Hate Design being particular highlights.

A strong return from a likeable band, Dawn Of A New Epoch offers up melo-death entertainment that any genre fan is guaranteed to get a kick out of. It’s not particularly original, but you get the sense that CIDESPHERE are deliberately taking things back to basics, hopefully in preparation to create something in the future that is truly mind blowing, and will gain them some deserved recognition beyond just their own corner of the world.

Rating: 7/10

Dawn Of A New Epoch is out now via Testimony Records.

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