It’s been a while since NYC’s Black Dawn released new material and I still consider their last release – 2014’s ‘Until We Meet’ EP a damned fine independent release. It’s a shame therefore that 5 years later we only get another five songs, but saying that they are five songs with ‘quality’ stamped all over them.
‘Help Me’ the single and video is all you want from an opener – killer riffs, pounding drums and bass, great riff and a catchy chorus – it’s certainly one to make you sit up and listen.
Sonically Black Dawn have always had a mix of a few bands to their sound – from Godsmack and Drowning Pool to Soundgarden and Alice in Chains and it’s that heady mix that produces something different – hard and heavu rock sure, but the Metal and Grunge also meld so well.
In truth the only thing that disappoints me here after a few listens is the slower doomier number ‘Hold Me Down’ which has an intro that really could have been cut. It’s the worst here but actually not a stinker – just a track that reflects poorly against the other four class offerings!
‘Thoughts of Yesterday is much better and recall two of those bands I spoke of before almost instantly with that brilliant bass line to open. ‘I Can’t Believe’ that follows is great too and has that NYC attitude that these guys bring so well to the mix.
Closer ‘Through These Eyes’ has great guitars and is probably the pick of the bunch, Modern Metal with bite and attitude – more please!
