CoC : Beyond Dawn - Revelry : Review

Beyond Dawn - _Revelry_
(Misanthropy Records, 1998)
by: Andrew Lewandowski (3 out of 10)

Let's play a quick game of word association: "Misanthropy Records." The inevitable response: "Boring pretentious schlock." Immediately upon hearing that Misanthropy has released a new non-Burzum album, a few -- to be precise, those who praised the last Arcturus, Fleurety, or Monumentum CDs as ingenious -- will start salivating, while the rest will simply know that the album is by a former mediocre metal band which now uses avant-garde stylings to compensate for a dearth of creativity and transparent song structures. Such is the case with Beyond Dawn. Once best known as the doom metal band with a trombonist, Beyond Dawn are now a moody, nauseatingly monotonous gothic pop band with a trombonist. Although BD steal a few riffs from the latest My Dying Bride album on the first two songs, these riffs merely invoke a somber background for the lead singer's deep voice, which sounds suspiciously similar to M. Gira's on the Swans' later work. Generally, BD don't even use their over-amplified, pseudo-metal riffs unless they need to signify that it's time for a chorus (here's a choice one: "You raped me on the first of July"). Although neither can save each of the predictable tracks, the use of ambient sounds and a trombone, which is still the most belch-like of brass instruments, add Misanthropy's standard avant-garde flair. This is poop, yet it is poop that can't even emit a stench.

(article published 13/4/1998)

ALBUMS
12/8/2009	Q Kalis	9	Beyond Dawn - Bygones
10/12/1999	P Azevedo	5	Beyond Dawn - Electric Sulking Machine

GIGS
3/13/2001	V Anderson	My Dying Bride / Katatonia / Soundisciples / Beyond Dawn / Thine	The Snow in Their Hearts