Dark Age Acedia
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
“Melodic Death Metal” is a strange description that seems to get slapped on a lot of bands (whether by the band itself or by outsiders). Traditionally associated with groups like Carcass and Amorphis, it seems to have grown to encompass pretty much every band that is afraid to be called Metalcore, despite the similarities. It’s become quite a misnomer, though, as most bands falling under this category bear little resemblance to “true” Death Metal bands. German band Dark Age have deemed themselves Melodic Death Metal (in their latest incarnation), and though this seems far from an appropriate description, their new album, Acedia, isn’t half bad.
A more appropriate and detailed description of Dark Age’s sound would be something like this: mid-paced, detuned, keyboard-laced modern metal with a mix of clean and screechy vocals. Granted, this could apply to zillions of bands, but luckily for Dark Age, they do what they do well, and though there are some generic bits, there is enough differentiation to keep Acedia, and thus Dark Age, interesting.
Opening track “Kingdom Nevercome” more or less sums up what the band are all about, with its keyboard intro, driving riffs, and melodic chorus. The downside, however, is that the use of a very cool off-time prog riff starts and stops on this song. It lulls the listener into a false sense of joy that this will be a very complex prog-metal album, but this never comes to fruition as the rest of the tracks steer clear of complicated rhythms or meter changes. “Kingdom Nevercome” is perhaps a fitting title, though, as the prog-metal monarchy they’ve introduced quickly falls from power.
Despite leaving complexity behind, there is plenty to like on the rest of the album. “Neon Gardens” is a radio-friendly track, easily comparable to lighter Devin Townsend or [old] Fear Factory material. “Halo Meridian” is more aggressive than many of its neighbors, and features a near-blast beat, which many similar bands seem to avoid. “10 Steps to Nausea” is a fun and unique track, and even features what could only be described as a Guns N’ Roses solo toward to the beginning, which is unexpected and effective. Unfortunately, the beginning of each line with “Step 1… Step 2…” is far too reminiscent of New Kids on the Block’s “Step By Step,” and, for those children of the ’80s, does little more than bring a lot of laughs.
Though many of the tracks do blend together and do little to differentiate themselves from one another, they are well written and energetic, which is more than many bands can pull off. Closing track “Myself Heretic” is a fine wrap up, featuring an excellent shredtastic solo, and a Vintersorg-quality vocal melody.
The lyric booklet includes lyrics and details for a song called “Vampyrez,” featuring lead vocals by metal legend Kai Hansen, but this track was only available on the limited pressing. Many points subtracted for taunting people, especially reviewers, with this mystery track, as it would have been very interesting to hear what this collaboration created.
Overall, Acedia has plenty to offer to fans of the modern melodic “death” metal genre, and though it doesn’t break too much new ground, it is solid enough to stand on its own. Having evolved from being an old-school death metal band, it will be great to see where the band goes from here, and if they further stretch the boundaries of their genre. Of course, one can only hope that the next time the band enlists a metal hero to play on a song, they allow everyone to hear it.
Label: AFM Records
Web: www.dark-age.eu ; www.myspace.com/darkage404
Band Lineup:
Eike (guitar/vocals)
Jörn (lead guitar)
Martin (keys)
Alex (bass)
Andre (drums)
Tracks:
1. Kingdom Nevercome
2. Devote Yourself to Nothing
3. Neon Gardens
4. Snake of June
5. Zeitgeist
6. 10 Steps to Nausea
7. Halo Meridian
8. Underneath These Burdens
9. All The Unfulfilled
10. Babylon Riots
11. Myself Heretic
Hardrock Haven rating 8.3/10