CD REVIEW: SERIOUS BLACK – As Daylight Breaks

Label: AFM Records

Release Date: January 20, 2015

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

What happens when six guys, all friends, decide to put together a cool project? Before you answer, imagine those six guys have a collective resume that includes the following bands: Masterplan, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Visions Of Atlantis, Edenbridge, Dreamscape, and Tad Morose.  A new symphonic metal powerhouse is born.  “I Seek No Other Life” opens the disc with killer riffs, pounding rhythm, full keyboards, and vocals that soar across the musical landscape.  This song sets the course, and standard, for the remaining ten tracks.  “High And Low” comes charging out of the gate with the intensity of the opening track, but with a more melodic sound in the chorus.  The song builds from verse to verse and through the choruses to a huge bridge that features killer fretwork.  “Temple Of The Sun” is a cool instrumental piece that carries the disc to a more symphonic sound on “Akhenaton.”  The opening vocals are layered and build the structure of the track regardless of the songs musical strength.  The song takes on a new life at the chorus and demonstrates the different textures of the band and their abilities.  “Trail Of Murder” features a melodic mix of vocals, bridging the verse and chorus, while layering the keyboards and guitars in the background.  “Setting Fire To The Earth” has a cool chugging riff that is surrounded by pounding drums, a thumping bass, and fun keyboards that give the song a cool vibe that expands the sound of the disc without sounding too different from the other songs.

“Sealing My Fate” takes a mellow approach and opens in a ballad-like fashion that allows the vocals to demonstrate the emotion behind them, before the song builds into a cool melodic piece that combines the guitars and keyboards nicely while giving the bass and drums the ability to anchor the track.  “My Mystic Mind” builds on the symphonic sound of other tracks on the disc and gives the collection a thicker sound, without getting too heavy in the mix.  Title track “as Daylight Breaks” is a beautiful track that gives each instrument a window to shine through.  The  duet of keyboard/piano and vocal during the verse lifts the disc to a new level with a genuine ballad that benefits from a full musical accompaniment at the bridge and outro of the track.  “Listen To The Storm” opens slowly, but builds steam through the emotionally charged vocals and full keyboard that lifts the vocals.  The bass and drums keep the tempo in check while the guitars soar and fill the various musical voids in the track.  Disc closer “Older And Wiser” comes barreling down on you, without coming across as too aggressive.  The songs strength lies in its simple rock formula – big vocals, chugging riffs, heavy bass, solid drums, and lofty keyboards all coming together in a cool groove.

SERIOUS BLACK LINKS:

OFFICAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Category: CD Reviews