Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex
Release Date: 14th February 2025
Label: Noble Demon
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Death Doom, Melancholic Metal, Melodic Death Metal.
FFO: Wolfheart, Swallow the Sun, Insomnium, Ghost Brigade.
Review By: Rick Farley
Finnish death doom, three words that instantly characterize a sound and quality of songcraft, more so than several other genres. Finland has become synonymous with a particular gloomy metal sound that equals that of Florida death metal, Swedeath, Norwegian black metal and a few others in terms of where a sound was born, nurtured, and expanded upon.
Founded in 2005, Dawn of Solace was a side project born from esteemed musician Tuomas Saukkonen (Wolfheart, Before the Dawn), one that was to explore a different facet of his musical creativity. The band released their debut album, The Darkness, in 2006. After years of legal issues that kept the band on hiatus, their return in 2019 was a new beginning of their legacy that was kept alive by their dedicated fanbase. Two more albums, 2020s Waves and 2022s Flames of Perdition, have brought us to our current point where Dawn of Solace are about to release their darkest and possibly most versatile album to date. Affliction Vortex is set to deliver its Nordic melancholy to fans everywhere via Noble Demon on February 14, 2025.
Dawn of Solace is comprised of clean and growling vocals that meld the doomy melancholy and the dark brutality of their sound together. Waves of massive guitars crashing down like tsunamis, while mournful vocals from Mikko Heikkilä belt out emotive cleans overtop. The harsh growls from both Mikko and Tuomas, (drums, guitars, and bass) occasionally rip out of the darkness like a trapped beast trying to painfully escape captivity. It’s an effective transition that adds tremendous emotional depth to the tracks.
The music on Affliction Vortex shifts around from doom, melodic death, and goth quite effortlessly. Each facet of the soundscape bleeds the gloominess with only the slightest bit of glimmering hope. It’s not overly sad in the purest sense of the word, but the sound is clearly focused on being morose. The guitar work is moody, heavy, and melodious. It’s sorrow filled and brutish. Charging riffs lead to cold, icy jaggedness before reaching a wall of crushing distortion or the occasionally folkier guitar passages. The bass has hefty presence but doesn’t stick out in any one place. The heavy foundation feels much sturdier for this and lets the drums drift around more standard beats without losing the driving rhythm and allowing for cleverly placed fills.
Affliction Vortex was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Saku Moilanen at DeepNoise Studios in Kouvola, Finland. It’s rich, full, and warm sounding while still feeling melancholic and slightly suffocating. It’s engulfing, but not in an overwhelming way. It leaves you, feeling mildly claustrophobic, which adds so much to the atmosphere. Almost foggy, but with clarity.
The goth tinged The Great Cold Distance era Katatonia influenced Fortress swells with flickering guitar riffs and a straightforward beat. This standout track is a freshened departure from the typical sounds of this genre, it adds additional layers of intrigue to the overall sound of doom and gloom, it’s still present, but it feels less oppressive. The mellow Invitation creeps along patiently until it explodes into familiar sounding melo-death guitar melodies and harsh vocals that we all love so much. A ripping solo expands on the epic nature of this track during its heavier parts. An ascension to blissful intensity. Closing track Mother Earth brings the older Swallow the Sun vibes with huge guitars ringing out, reaching for the darkness. It’s slow moving chugginess with forlorn melodies creates an entrancing atmosphere that’s both brutal and despondent.
Overall, this is another enjoyable as hell album from a guy/band that seemingly can do no wrong. Dawn of Solace is in my opinion the best of all his projects, and Affliction Vortex is every bit the record I was hoping for. Easy recommend.
(4.5 / 5)
