ALBUM REVIEW: Worship The Grave – Dawn Of Disease

DAWN OF DISEASE are a death metal band hailing from the town of Osnabruck in Germany, who first came onto the scene with their Through Bloodstained Eyes EP in 2004. They’re a five piece band composed of the following band members: Tomasz Wisniewski on vocals, Mathias Blässe on drums, Michael Wächter on bass, and the duo of Lukas Kerk and Oliver Kirchner on guitars. Collectively, the band members have cut their teeth in such bands as MALADIE, DRACONUS SANGUIS, WEAK ASIDE and CONTAMINATION; bands that cover death, thrash, and progressive black metal.

Worship The Grave is their third release what becomes immediately apparent is the bands influences. They can literally be traced if one was to draw a venn diagram that incorporates KATACLYSM, PANZERCHRIST, and a guitar style that immediately evokes a distinct Swedish melodic death metal tone. For the most part, the opening track Worship The Grave distinctly leans towards KATACLYSM and early ENTOMBED that showcases the gravelly raw vocals of Tomasz.. The Saviour’s Tomb shows off the the drumming skills of Mathias, sounding perfectly composed and balanced nicely with the guitar riffs of Lukas and Oliver.

Ashes sounds like a collective grab bag of influences based around AT THE GATES. It climbs and spirals with slower sections incorporating a well composed sense of melody, while Of Trails and Death immediately sounds murky and gravelly. Cult Of The Fading Light slows the pace down, showing a structured sense of composure with an anthemic tone that will be a stand out track in the live setting. Through Nameless Ages contains a punchy, well delivered drive that calls upon the influences mentioned in a manner that is textbook Swedish melodic death metal. However, for the most part Worship The Grave fails to ignite a spark of inspiration as a whole.

As good as DAWN OF DISEASE are musically, they have an unenviable task ahead of them. The death metal scene is over-saturated with a rich wealth of bands, and is a movement that is on the verge of celebrating its third decade of inception. Granted, it’s impossible for every single band to come along and pioneer a new musical style that hasn’t been done before. The important trick is to create an album in such a manner that it sounds brand new and fresh, something that bands in the death metal genre are able to do with varying degrees of success.

Unfortunately, DAWN OF DISEASE sound like a whole boatload of existing acts that doesn’t immediately make the listener want to try them out. If Worship The Grave tracks tracks were played in your favoured watering hole, it would be hard to pinpoint out who they are. Nevertheless, after a few beers you’ll find yourself moshing enthusiastically to them and enjoy them as a support band; but in the cold light of day with a hangover, the listener would be scratching their head trying to remember them.

Rating: 6/10

Worship The Grave is set for release on June 24th via Napalm Records.

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