Dead Of Night: The Dead Shall Rise

A British three-piece symphonic/progressive metal outfit, Dead Of Night have taken a couple of years to fine tune their line-up and sound before crafting their debut offering, The Dead Shall Rise. Impressively it's an album which only hints at its self released budget status through ho-hum cover-art and a perfectly functioning, if hardly dazzling, production. The rest – and thankfully the most important bits – prove to be anything but cut price, high flying and pleasingly distinct vocals from Courtney Cecere (who has sadly since departed the band), clever, colourful keyboards courtesy of Carl Eden and gritty riffs and searing solos from Hadian Gates bringing an embarrassment of riches.

Introducing a UK Neo-Prog side to a genre often more classically and Europeanly fixated allows "Highwayman" to explode with energy. While Cecere's willingness to stray from the expected vocal melodies, while never wandering too far from convention, enables "Touched By The Hand Of God" and "A Devil's Fairground Ride" to grab you in the most unexpected of ways. The latter also possesses a sublime keyboard intro which then cleverly sits below an uplifting chorus, rather than simply being discarded. Whereas the reserved "On The Beach At Night Alone" is the perfect platform for Cecere to illustrate her seductive tones, a full, rich approach a real treat in place of the classically inspired wailers we're often fed. Although the, on the whole, well handled drum machine does begin to shred the nerves here through its overly insistent high-hat shuffle…

If that wasn't enough, the push and jostle of guitar heavy "Riding Into Hell" offers a convincing straight up metal blast, while "As I Am Now So Shall You Be" combines that peddle to the metal to some sumptuous keyboards. Add in a few well executed spoken word/atmospheric intro's and Dead Of Night come across as seasoned veterans, rather than a band delivering their maiden outing – although the cover image hardly suggests this trio are spring chickens…! The Dead Shall Rise? To me it sounds like they already have and Dead Of Night are here to prove it!

Track Listing
1. Dead Of Night
2. Black Lace And Roses
3. Highwayman
4. As I Am Now So Shall You Be
5. Never Liked It
6. A Devil's Fairground Ride
7. Will You Go?
8. On The Beach At Night Alone
9. Riding Into Hell
10. Gabriel's Hounds
11. Ghost Stories

Added: January 9th 2016
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Dead Of Night online
Hits: 1607
Language: english

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