Blood of Indigo – Dawn of the Shaded World
Release Date: 26th August 2022
Label: Self-Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal.
FFO: Dimmu Borgir, Carach Angren, Nightwish.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
On August 26, Toronto, Canada symphonic gothic metal trio, Blood of Indigo, release their debut album, Dawn of the Shaded World. The album features vocals and lyrics by Alex Centorame, keyboards and orchestrations by Nathan Gross, and guitars and drum programming by Mariusz Syposz. The band was inspired by their favorite fantasy video games, including Dark Souls, Hollow Knight, and Bloodborne, while musically they were influenced by Dimmu Borgir, Nightwish, and Dream Theater. On Dawn of the Shaded World, Blood of Indigo sought to indulge in their passion for storytelling through epic music, which they have successfully accomplished.
The album opens with the instrumental track, Mimesis. The orchestration is haunting and dramatic, and the symphonic elements set the mood beautifully. Moving through the various sections of the piece is like traversing through a mysterious and unpredictable landscape. This track definitely has an epic feel, but at 14:18, it was just a little long for my short attention span. The following track, Resurrection, begins with an appealing acoustic intro before the symphonic and rhythmic elements ease you into a higher gear. I typically don’t love programmed drums, but they’re very well integrated into the arrangement, and Syposz absolutely makes them work. The massive riffs provide some needed weight and give the more ephemeral elements an anchor. The overall orchestration expertly illuminates the lyrical theme, and the intonation on Centorame’s harsh vocals enhances the storytelling aspect. I’m getting shades of Carach Angren all throughout this track, and I just love it.
Corpse Bride is the undisputed highlight of the album for me, re-telling the well-known tale of the lover and his spectral consort. The eerie, anxiety-inducing string intro sets the stage, and the subsequent blackened guitar work is the ideal complement to the relentless rhythm driving the pace. As we heard in the previous track, that tightly-packed low-end essentially grounds the airy, high-end elements. The orchestration is pure grand opera in scale, and the brass accents are inspired. The dynamic vocals run the gamut from nightmarish guttural growls to banshee screeches to deranged whispers. The haunting piano work at 4:44, which presumably speaks to the line, “every night I write a song for you…” offers a little respite, allowing the drama to build until the guitars and other symphonic elements make their climactic return. When the chilling vocals re-emerge at 5:38, it’s just perfection. I find no fault with the arrangement of this track, and it’s not an exaggeration to say this is one of my favorite songs of the year. Anne Marie Indigo is a worthy successor, beginning with a lovely, atmospheric intro. A sinister bell tolls, followed by the entrance of choral elements, guitar, and rhythm. The tempo races with furious drumming and agile guitar leads that power the different sections of the arrangement. I’m definitely picking up on the Dimmu Borgir influences, and I’m not mad about it. This harrowing account of young Anne Marie is as ominous as you’ve come up to expect, and when Centorame slyly hisses, “Are you hiding from your mother?,” I’m not ashamed to admit it made my skin crawl. The dynamics here are top-notch, ebbing and flowing in accordance with the lyrical content. When the tempo accelerates again, we get some blast-y drumming and more of those noodle-y leads before the keyboards pick up the torch, with Gross giving us some sweet 90s Dream Theater-esque synth to add some intriguing texture to the underlying guitar riffs and drums.
Jade and Her Quiet Place is another instrumental piece, primarily piano with ambient outdoor sounds. It’s spooky, gorgeous, and a superb interlude for the mid-point of the album. I got serious Haunted Mansion vibes and I couldn’t be happier. Angelus, the Faceless Vampire follows that ethereal idyll with thundering drums and hostile guitars, reminding listeners that this is, indeed, a metal album. This is an absolute beast of a song, completely living up to its bloodthirsty name. Definitely feeling the Dimmu here in its evil, blackened epicness. The monster riffs underscore the sinuously moving symphonic lines, supporting everything from wind instruments to strings to piano. The guitar and keyboard take the lead in turn, highlighting the skills of the individual musicians. As we’ve seen throughout the album so far, the textures and dynamics of the instrumentation, as well as the vocals, are skillfully suited to the storytelling. You also won’t want to miss the animated video recounting Angelus the vampire’s tumultuous history, which you can find by clicking the YouTube link below.
I love the little hint of Egyptian flair throughout Sphynx, Collector of Eyes. Throbbing drums and dramatic choral elements capture your attention before dropping into the groove of the slower-tempo verses. The dynamic pace increases the intensity of the powerful string and brass elements in this track, swelling and subsiding to accentuate the different parts of the arrangement. The advent of the chanting chorus is terrifying, because you just know it always foreshadows imminent danger. The chugging riffs and rapid-fire drumming keep the track on target while getting those heads banging. One of the aspects I most enjoyed about The Hunter’s Nightmare is the way the rhythm is mirrored in both the vocal and drum lines at the start of the track. The legato symphonic elements really emphasize the heaviness of the guitar work and the staccato rhythm of the drums, before completely changing gears at around 3:42. Solo guitars are followed by piano, but those drop abruptly and menacing-sounding strings take their place, building in intensity until the other instruments rejoin the quickening pace and the vocal line returns. These different sections of the piece have the disorienting yet connected feel of a dream.
Novice Pyromancy begins with a short, spoken intro leading up to an explosion of instruments, both symphonic and metal. The frenzied pace speaks to the thematic elements of the man frantically trying to call and control fire. Gross throws down some more of that 90s synth before a break with only strings and piano. This is followed by a nice little solo from Syposz and the culminating return of the rest of the instruments. Another spoken section at 3:51 did take me out of the piece for a moment, because the speaker sounds rather too nice; however, I wonder if that almost friendly voice speaking of “the horror which lies beneath” somehow makes it more insidious. The title and final track, Dawn of the Shaded World, opens with a string and brass intro suitably imposing for stage or screen. I got those Nightwish feels right off the bat. The fast-paced rhythm and animated guitar boldly command your attention, while the keyboards lightly skim across the background landscape. This track is notable for a guest appearance from Juno nominated singer/songwriter, Lindsay Schoolcraft, whose clear, elegant tones are a gorgeous contrast to Centorame’s harsh growls. Her welcome addition to this track adds another dimension to both the vocals and the narrative. The synth lead in the latter half of the song is a little unexpected, but it instantly transports you to some fantasy realm filled with orcs and elves. The melancholy piano outro hearkens back to that beautiful motif from Jade and Her Quiet Place, making this a superlative finish.
Overall, this is one formidable debut. I thought it might be too much gimmick and not enough substance, but I was wrong, and I’m happy to admit it. Dawn of the Shaded World is very consistent stylistically, which I thoroughly appreciate. Blood of Indigo didn’t throw in everything but the kitchen sink trying to make their mark on the genre, although I believe they’re well on their way to doing so. This is not to say that the arrangements are too uniform or that there are no surprises, only that their choices make sense in the context of the album. The production is high quality, especially considering this is a self-release. Regarding musicianship, I’ll start by saying Centorame’s vocals exceeded my expectations. I had expected some clean singing as with many symphonic gothic bands, but I am pleased to say there was none, save those provided by Schoolcraft. This is a niche that definitely needed filling. Centorame’s range is tailor-made for this genre, and as I noted earlier, his intonation is excellent. The orchestration by Gross is masterfully done, and the keyboards are energetic and enjoyable without being too over-the-top. Syposz integrates the clever guitar work and the programmed drums seamlessly, giving the album the brutal metal elements needed to balance the more classical aspects. If you are a fan of symphonic, symphonic black, gothic, or dark fantasy metal, this just may be your cup of tea.
(4.5 / 5)
