Review: Dawnwalker ‘The Unknowing’
The first thing that struck me about Dawnwalker when I started listening to the opening track Thema Mundi is just how wonderful the melodies are. It feels more like a spiritual adventure, so I was keen to dive deeper into their new album, The Unknowing and find out more about what they have to offer across the other eight songs.
Dawnwalker are also another name who I have heard of, but never really paid too much attention to in the past. This is their sixth release under the guidance of vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player Mark Norgate, who has taken a host of new talented musicians and produced an album full of harmonies. In Norgate’s own words, it is ‘a conscious move away from the post-metal towards something spacier and more progressive’.
The introduction on Capricorn is quite uplifting and joyous and the song flows well, with all instruments getting a good amount of notice in the mix, which is great to hear, and yet despite the calm assurances, it explodes into life to add a bit more tension to the music. Novus Homo has that dominant vocal from Norgate, as he takes control of the song but it’s simple and straightforward, feeling both melancholic and cathartic in parts.
it’s simple and straightforward, feeling both melancholic and cathartic in parts…
The simple strummed guitar on Heaven And Earth feels like your heart being plucked is a beautiful moment. I’m imagining all sorts as I listen to this and it evokes so many happy, yet sad memories, which is perhaps what it is meant to do and will convey something different to each listener. One of the most pleasing aspects of the album is the balance of the vocals between Norgate and Sofia Sourianou. Mirrorpool is a brilliant example of this, and its eeriness when combined with the haunting flute of Bella Band makes this quite an exquisite track.
They change direction for a bit with the slightly faster-paced Sword Of Spirit but don’t expect any dramatic rhythm changes, it’s merely tweaked from their trusted formula before we get Cancer (Rising) which is one of the more buoyant and vivacious songs on the album.
With most of the album being somewhat middle to slow-paced, it is good to hear a bit more of a solid riff in Fall To Earth. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no headbanger, but it adds something different to the album prior to the finale, The Law, where Norgate builds up the tension with a heavier guitar sound and it wraps up an album full of dramatic music that creates quite the spectacle.
Label: Independent
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
