Archaic Flame “Before the Dawn” 

After a decade of silence, BEFORE THE DAWN shattered expectations with their comeback album, Stormbringers, and the reconquering of Europe’s stages in 2023. Now, the Finnish metal juggernauts triumphantly return to the forefront of the metal scene with their brand- new EP, Archaic Flame. Scheduled for release on March 8, 2024 via Napalm Records, the new offering unveils a fiery blend of sonic intensity and melodic prowess never before heard from BEFORE THE DAWN.

1: “Archaic Flame” man oh man, what an opening track!”

my eardrums were immediately belted with a drumming speed possibly matched by Disney race car lightning McQueen, a deep death bass and an absolutely killer guitar melody that made me want to instantly start head banging. Vocally stellar! True metal vocal from the get go.

“Burn me to the core

Bring the fires forth

Black rain begins to pour

Dyed by the ashes of the world”. Dark yet poetic and beautiful lyrics.

2: “Chaos Sequence”

“The absence of the voice of reason The wall of glass that separates Rational from insane” Oh hell yeah this was lyrically resonating. Being torn in the mind, almost feeling like you’re going insane and reality seeming out of reach. This was again lyrically killer.

Melodically and vocally…  once again belted against a wall with pure power. At the mercy of pure talent!

3: “Run to you” well I have to say. The original Bryan adams version is a song that I thought was pretty good anyway… so …rockier with a splash of metal vocal …still keeping the main components from the original yet putting a massive individual stamp on it.

This just means one thing right? Yeah… they made Bryan Adams way more epic!!!

4: Dying Sun (Live at Logomo 2023)

“Lowered into the grave My empty casket

So I can rest in peace Self created funeral Will finally purify

By this burial The stains in me” jeez those are some powerful lyrics!

Ok, so considering this track was live… it really got me excited. Excited in the fact this was so god damn good.

If this is what they sound like live then my god i need to see a show!

Didn’t sound far off from a studio recording which is absolutely mind blowing!

Loved the vocal on this one.

Overall… This EP made me want to put on my ass kicking boots, get my hip flask of whiskey or pirate it up with the rum and rock the heck out! Full horns up energy. The way I can best describe it is imagine lighting a fire then gasoline being added to it and it just going off full pelt. Just inane!!!

I can almost guarantee these guys  putting on an absolute EPIC live show! Which again I’ll say I would be VERY interested in checking out.

“Before The Dawn” is released 8th March 2024 by Napalm Records.

Review by Lucy Parr