Labels: Art Of Propaganda Records
Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital
Release Date: 29 Nov 2019
Tracklist:
1. The Earth Is Silent
2. A Dying Light
3. A Cold Unnamed Fear
4. Orion
5. When The Morning Came
6. Monolith
7. White Skies And Grey Lands
I count this as the fourth review in five days. It's safe to say that December is proving fruitful productivity-wise. The band I'm homing in on tonight is one from Spain's capital Madrid. Doom/death sextet Sun Of The Dying have been together since 2013 yet only released their first album "The Roar Of The Furious Sea" in 2017 with an initial digital self-release and then a digital/cd re-release via Mexican label Throats Productions. In November they released their second full-length via Art Of Propaganda Records. "The Earth Is Silent" is spread over seven song.
Starting with the title-track, Sun Of The Dying paints a melancholic and sorrow-filled picture on “The Earth Is Silent”. This opener may only be an instrumental intro but it proves effective at dragging you down as the choral singing comes in. Doom/death has always been a sub-genre that’s hard to crack for me but hearing the clean vocals and gentle piano/guitar of A Dying Light, it’s hard not to get lost in it’s soothing but unnerving tones. Imagine the Peaceville Three cross-pollinating with Hateful Abandon and you might begin to understand the sonics present here. Slow, mournful tempos mixed with low growls and orchestral instrumentation are all gathered together to great effect.
With A Cold Unnamed Fear, Sun Of The Dying heads in a more black metal direction briefly. The keyboards have more of a presence here and while it’s a long way from being symphonic (possibly a good thing), it’s memorable despite the heaviness. Orion maintains a lengthy instrumental build-up, which is a characteristic of doom/death before those clean vocals reveal themselves again. It brings to mind a whole host of great Scandinavian bands of the same ilk but there’s still an obvious originality to the music. It’s great to hear different countries and indeed cultures put their mark on different musical styles and here Sun Of The Dying combines the heat and positivity of their Spanish homeland with the cold and dank emotion of doom/death’s forbears.
If you’re after something both melodic and truly majestic then look no further than When The Morning Came. It epitomises Sun Of The Dying for me and shows their heart and soul is gloriously open fashion. The vocals, despite being as harsh as they have been throughout, are audible and the song-writing/craft shows a band that is truly maturing. In an age where complex and fast music is providing an instant hit for extreme metal fans, songs like Monolith will provide solace. Again, it’s slow and (as some might say) depressive, but it’s perfectly formed and indeed performed. The mix of textures from the vocals, choral singing and metal instrumentation gives it an instantly listenable impact. It’s possibly the band’s most complete song.
It all segues nicely into album closer White Skies And Grey Lands, with it’s prominent and glorious piano. It’s the final hymn and as such it paints a picture of misty and cold landscapes that are at odds with the sextets’s homeland but that works all too well. Creative and delivered with an assured confidence, “The Earth Is Silent” may be a sleeper when it comes to 2019’s big hitters but it has it’s own place amongst the music that’s shaping this year. As the decade comes to a close, memories will be made and people will be transported to different places thanks to music like this. When I listen to this again, I’ll think of how at peace I was when I first heard it. Incredibly moving, Solemn and soulful.
You can stream and purchase "The Earth Is Silent" on all formats via AOP Records below:-
Sun Of The Dying - https://www.facebook.com/SunofTheDying
Art Of Propaganda Records - https://www.facebook.com/aoprecs/
