By: John Slaymaker
Album Type: EP
Date Released: 02/11/2012
Label: Cyclone Empire
Dawn of Winter have achieved a really high standard in production and song writing, with their influences on their sleeve’s, they have created an EP which should be on every doom lovers list.
“The Skull of the Sorcerer” 12” EP track Listing
1) Dagon's Blood (3:48)
2) The Skull of the Sorcerer (7:22)
3) By The Blessing Of Death (4:29)
4) In Servitute To Destiny (5:35)
Dawn of Winter is:
Gerrit P. Mutz | Vocals
Jörg M. Knittel | Guitar
Joachim Schmalzried | Bass
Dennis Schediwy | Drums
Jörg M. Knittel | Guitar
Joachim Schmalzried | Bass
Dennis Schediwy | Drums
Review
Dawn of Winter take no time to blast you with riffs, They chug straight in with ‘Dragon’s Blood’ and Gerrit P. Mutz’s vocals immediately grab the listener exhibiting a riveting theatricality in the vein of Candlemass and suchlike. This is classic traditional doom metal and I love it!
All the songs on this 4 track EP are well paced and well written with the great vocals making me wonder why this band, especially as they’ve been around so long, are not as huge as they should be. ‘The Skull of the Sorcerer’ is a 7:30 glory box full of great guitar solos and crunchy metal riffs and not to mention a really fantastic chorus, which is just awesome. So after 20 years in the game, shitloads of demos and EP’s and only 2 full albums, I simply cannot wait for their next release of timeless doom.
The only gripe I have with this record is at the end of the third song ‘By the Blessing of Death’ or rather how it ends, as it seems to me that it was originally a longer version and somehow edited into a complete stop after four and a half minutes. That said it has a good intro, with immediate nod inducing ingredients and plenty of froth. The last song is the title track from their 1996 demo ‘In Servitude to Destiny’ and is a more slower atmospheric song with a cool acoustic guitar intro for the first minute until the whole band come in and it turns into quite an epic piece of fate. I reckon this is their take on Candlemass’ “Solitude”?
Dawn of Winter have achieved a really high standard in production and song writing, with their influences on their sleeve’s, they have created an EP which should be on every doom lovers list.
“The Skull of the Sorcerer” is available here.
