Daylight Dies - A Frail Becoming
It’s somewhat of an obstacle for any music critic when they encounter a band that simply refuses to change. Although when it comes to North Carolina’s Daylight Dies, I most certainly am not complaining. It’s just that over the course of their solid 12-year recording career, chances are I’ve already said all there is to say about them. Still, perseverance, consistency, and songwriting of the utmost quality ought to be worth a lot more than they are. After all, these sorrowful Death/Doom tradesmen have been proprietors of the mighty Brave Murder Day/Sounds of Decay approach longer than Katatonia at this point, and have carved their own truly masterful niche with it. Indeed, something has to be said for knowing what you’re going to get, and frankly, when it comes to dark, depressing Metal, I for one am not seeking Cracker Jack prize appeal. Album opener “Infidel” wastes no time letting all the hope out of the room with those familiar downcast riffs, dejected melodies, and a starkly soul-crushing chorus. While the Daylight Dies formula remains unmolested by time and passing trends, the production and musicianship have been infinitely refined, and one other difference worth noting is the more prominent use of bassist Egan O’Rourke’s clean vocals. Introduced on 2005’s Dismantling Devotion, the band has leaned on his contributions increasingly with each release. On A Frail Becoming, his soft croon sounds significantly honed and more professional than ever. He brings a subtle dynamic that, when juxtaposed with the harsh bellow of Nathan Ellis, creates instant standout tracks out of “Sunset,” “A Final Vestige,” and “Ghosting.” Meanwhile, the intro/outro riff of “Hold on to Nothing” is a signal for all life on Earth to cease. Even this song’s guitar solos bear mournful fruit. Surrounded by these heavyweight highlights, “The Pale Approach,” “Dreaming of Breathing,” and epic closer “An Heir to Emptiness” almost feel like filler by contrast. But that’s only in the context of this excellent LP. Place any one of them on a compilation next to new material by The Devin Townsend Project, Ihsahn, or Vision of Disorder and they’ll seem like the most meaningful songs ever recorded. This would be a great record to gas yourself in the garage to, and ironically, albums like this are one of the few reasons I haven’t (yet).
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