Dantalion – …And All Will Be Ashes (Sleaszy Rider Records)

Thursday, 12th January 2017
Rating: 7.5/10

Over the course of 5 albums, the Spanish Dantalion has transformed from an atmospheric black metal band to a full-on doom/death act. Their sixth album, …And All Will Be Ashes, continues the long standing doom traditions – melody, sorrow, and sadness all rolled into one outpouring of emotion. While it doesn’t separate itself from the pack, it does a good job of maintaining what gives the genre such appeal.

The strongest point running through …And All Will Be Ashes is that of atmosphere. Downtrodden and gloomy atmosphere. Melodies come at you throughout, most stem from the mostly mid-tempo riffing, but also some clean guitar moments. This isn’t a band that relies on synths to do the heavy, emotional lifting and this in turn gives it a more metallic luster overall. The darkness is suitable and helps provide the appropriate tone for an album like this. If there’s one band parallel that seems to come up, it’s that of Rapture (check out some of the melodies of “No Place for Faith”) and some of the melancholic riffs do have an occasionally more lifting quality to them. Moments of songs like “Crimson Tide” even have a more fist-pumping vibe than a sullen one, which provides a change of scenery. Everything else checks out accordingly, even if many of the other genre conventions are well within reach.

There’s always a place for well-written and emotive doom/death, and Dantalion cover their bases well with …And All Will Be Ashes. It’s all about the proper melodies, and to that end, the album delivers as necessary and will please fans of the sound. It might feel familiar but it’s certainly done right.

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