Review Summary: A debut album that shows many signs of experience, however in-consistent at times. However there are some disappointing flaws over the length of the album.
With ‘Dark New Day’s’ debut album, many will instantly see that they are not testing any new ground, but they have managed to release a radio rock album that at times is heavy, soft, melodic, slightly progressive, and full of harmony. All these elements sit below the flaws that plague some of the albums tracks. It took twelve years for the members of this band to come together and release this debut album (hence the album title) and as all members were at some time working on other projects listeners can expect a some-what already polished sound when listening to tracks off the record. For the most part this is true, however there is some creativity lacking in the song writing process and it shows in the form of ‘filler’ tracks.
When describing Dark New Day’s debut album it could be said that the band presents the listener with a radio friendly, hard rock album with harmonised vocal linings, tasteful (if un-impressive) drum work, and some at times interesting guitar work that shows promise but does not break any new ground. Consistency it seems is an issue when listening to ‘Twelve Year Silence’ as many tracks are flawed, and lacks memorable features to captivate and keep the listeners attention. The album at those moments becomes a tedious and boring listen. The music however is not all bad, there are even some progressive elements thrown in, and found in track “Free”. ‘Free’ can be considered a highlight of the album and over four and a half minutes the listener should become immersed in a melodic, harmonised and well created track.
Giving the album some merit and attention from the listener includes the main single ‘Brother’. The off-beat rhythms found on the main riff lines allow for a steady head banging section (well as far as the radio rock genre goes) combined with a catchy middle section lifts the quality of the album overall. Smooth vocals mixed with the occasional scream add a sense of creative diversity which shows positively the potential Dark New Day may at times present, but the track may have seen better heights if it included some higher levels of lead work i.e. a guitar solo. A great track for new listeners starting out with Dark New Day.
Dark New Day’s album is everything you could expect from a radio rock group. They have developed a debut that is both appealing in some senses but is also a huge let down when considering the potential they have shown in past works. There is nothing suggesting a push of boundaries and the in consistency of those ‘filler’ tracks (‘Fill Me Again’, ‘Heal in Time’ and ‘Follow the Sun Down’) drop the quality of the album greatly. The production is clean and well done, suiting the style of music perfectly. Overall for rock enthusiasts there is no need to get excited about Dark New Day’s music, but there are some tracks that deserve a listen, that reinforce the potential for improvement on the next record.
