Dawn Of Winter - The Peaceful Dead

Earlier this week i was able to pick up a copy of the new 'Dawn Of Winter' album 'The Peaceful Dead".All i can say its about time they released a full length,the band has been together for 20 some odd years and have released only one album which was about 10 years ago i think, couple of EP's and demos.Was the wait worth it,for the most part the answer is yes indeed ! The CD kicks off with 'The Music Of Despair' which is almost like a tribute to 'Doom Metal' itself,it obvious this band loves the genre and this song is almost like a dedication to it.One thing that surprised me is the amount of mid-tempo tracks on here,not as slow as i expected but still with a very 80's 'Doom Metal" feel to the tracks.The album has a whole is one of the more melodic Doom Metal release's of the last year, listen to "Throne of Isolation", which is one of the highlights of the album to hear what could be described as a 'Doom Ballad'.The playing is very sophisticated and thoughtful and a lot of work has gone into producing what is a very distinctive sound.Singer Gerrit P. Mutz lends a lot of sorrow and melody to the songs,this dude's voice has improved so much these days.At times Jorg M. Knittel’s soloing sounds like he is channeling "Saint Vitus' which is not a bad thing but at times its a little too close for my liking."Mourner" and "Anthem of Doom" are two standout moments on the album where they unleashed some of their best 'Traditional Doom Metal Riffs' and this is where the band excels.'Throne of Isolation' is another highlight where the band really get the feeling of loneliness and despair in the grooves.Production on this is almost flawless and the artwork is great,maybe now they will get the reconingtion they deserve.8.5/10