Dawn Ray’d – The Unlawful Assembly

Band – Dawn Ray’d

Album – The Unlawful Assembly

Country of Origin – UK

Genre – Anarchist Black Metal

Release Date – October 2nd, 2017

Label – Feast of Tentacles/Halo of Flies Records/Prosthetic Records

Author – Hayduke X

Hailing from the UK, Dawn Ray’d are a trio only two years in. With The Unlawful Assembly, they show that two years is plenty of time to master the creation of an eloquent musical statement. I use the word statement here, but perhaps manifesto would be a better choice. Dawn Ray’d makes no bones about their politics and wear that passion openly on their sleeves. They are an anarchist band, you see, and they openly share some of what that means through the songs they write. They rage against the capitalist system and the terrors it brings, and this writer, for one, gives full support. But what do they sound like? I can hear the question from here. Read on, dear reader, for I shall tell you.

Simon B. splits his time between vocals filled with passion, though delivered harshly, and a violin that provides moments of mournful contemplation. His vocal style sounds like someone screaming the truth until his throat is too raw to scream more, and then screaming more anyway. Fabian D. covers guitar duties, equally adept at strumming calm, depressing passages as he is at filling the air with raging tremolo. Finally, the whole machine is driven by Matthew B behind the drum kit. Even when there are very few beats per minute in the calmer passages, he is distinctly present. When he lets loose with the high BPM, watch out.

The combined effect is beautiful and scarred, full of pathos, anger, regret, and action. Dawn Ray’d plays an atmospheric style that is too raw to be atmospheric black metal. They are the open wound caused by the destruction of our earth. They are the former pet dog who realized it should be free and turned on it’s captor. They are feral and, above all, they are right.

Recommendation:  Absolutely essential!

Rating:  4.5/5