Daylight Dies-A Frail Becoming

Candlelight Records
2012

It's been four years since Daylight Dies released their last album. That's four years time in which to tighten up any loose ends and make sure that their brand of Southern doom hits all the right notes. While I have personally never heard the band's last album, 2008's "Lost To The Living", I've got Metal Mark's review to go by. Since I trust Metal Mark's judgement it does sound as if there has been a change for the better between 2008 and now. My educated guess would be that this new 9-track release offers growth even if the band's own sound continues to be the very definition of melancholy music. From listening in on what must there own personal hell, Daylight Dies embodies a haunted soul, taking on a journey deep into the realm of demonic depression. Existence is nothing but gloomy weather by the sound of this LP. If that sounds like a critique of the doom and gloom metal element and lyrical content it's certainly not all that bad as Daylight Dies pulls off mysteriously eerie music that achieves exactly what it sets out to do. What would be the band's cause then? I'd say it's to create music that scares the hell out of you and makes you reflect on your own tortured demons. This 5-piece band is frighteningly somber and effectively lead by the harsh vocals of one Nathan Ellis. Formed in 1996, in Asheville, North Carolina, "A Frail Becoming" is the sound of misery. Mixed by Jens Bogren, at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth, Katatonia, Devin Townsend), the band's forth album won't be for everyone as it is metal that is dark and dreadful. For those who take comfort in the most dreary of all things doom though this is not the end of journey for you, but rather it is the true beginning as Daylight Dies have really hit upon a sound and style that, while depressing as all hell, is a truly a winner.




















http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2008/09/daylight-dies-lost-to-living.html

Daylight Dies-Lost to the living

Candlelight
2008

Melodic/death-doom outfit Daylight Dies seem to know a great deal about structure and pace, but unfortunately not so much about conveying emotions. The technical skills of the players are solid in a rather matter of fact style that only carries the material so far. The job on conveying any real excitement or aggression seems to have placed primarily on the skills which quite honestly are just fair and very standard. There are few tracks where the pace is altered some and the vocals are a bit more clean, but not really enough to pull me in. These guys also get doom thrown in as a label, but as a fan of doom the music here just feels like semi-progressive metal slowed down. Doom is more than just slowing down the tempo, it’s about a feeling and a certain tone. I don’t find a whole lot of that present on this recording. This is a style of music that should be getting pumped up and enthused yet the only action I felt like taking was to skip to the next song. Perhaps a little above average, but it houses far more filler than substance for my liking.