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Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
9.0

602 users:
8.51
Band: Summoning
Album: Old Mornings Dawn
Release date: June 2013


01. Evernight
02. Flammifer
03. Old Mornings Dawn
04. The White Tower
05. Caradhras
06. Of Pale White Morns And Darkened Eves
07. The Wandering Fire
08. Earthshine
09. The Darkening Of Valinor [special edition bonus]
10. With Fire And Sword [special edition bonus]

Rejoice, my metal brethren and fellow LOTR enthusiasts! Earendil has persuaded the Valar with his Silmaril to make war upon Morgoth for the sake of Middle Earth, casting him beyond the Door Of Night into The Void for all eternity (yeah, that was added in there for the nerds like myself that've actually read The Silmarillion). Tolkien references aside, Summoning's new album, no doubt one of the most anticipated releases of the year, is finally upon us, and from the very first moments of its music the band make it quite clear that the 7 years of waiting since Oath Bound back in '06 have been well worth it for 2013's Old Mornings Dawn.

So, let's just get right to what's no doubt on everyone's minds: how does this new chapter in the Summoning odyssey match up to the rest of their discography? Well, my elf and ent friends, get ready, because Old Mornings Dawn may very well be the catchiest album Summoning have yet put out. This may not seem like I'm saying much, really, because the band have always created memorable instrumentation with their keyboards and horns, but something about the formula this time around seems to just have much more of a hook to it than before. From the brief introductory opener "Evernight," to the main riff of "Flamiffer," and even the percussion on "Of Pale White Morns And Darkened Eves," Summoning's music on Old Mornings Dawn comes across as a lot more groovy and riff-heavy than before. The drums are what really keep this rhythmic pace going, Old Mornings Dawn definitely being one of Summoning's best albums in regards to drumming as well.

Other than that, it's the same epic atmospheric black metal we've come to know and love from Summoning. Well-executed keyboard and guitar parts galore create the usual folklore-ish, medieval type of feel perfect for a LOTR-themed band, especially on "Caradhras" and "The Wandering Fire." In addition, there's also a bit of the band's usual clean vocals thrown into the mix, in the vocal harmony in the middle of "Caradhras," and towards the end of the title track.

So, in essence, Old Mornings Dawn is pretty much like any other Summoning album? for the most part. The groovy melodies the band dabble into on this release give the music a whole different dimension, perhaps unlike any they've ever gotten into before, and this 2013 effort is in my opinion a lot better than the more ambient nature of Oath Bound. Regardless of which is better, however, it's pretty safe to say that at this point in their career, Summoning have built up a very well-respected and well-deserved reputation for themselves with their discography. Few bands have displayed such consistency over the course of their albums, and for this Summoning will surely be remembered once their run is at its end. But that's a point (hopefully) far in the future. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves with what will without question end up being one of the best black metal releases of the year, and let yet another installation in Summoning's Middle Earth-ean saga overtake your soul.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 8
Production: 9





Written on 01.05.2013 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments page 3 / 3

Comments: 68   Visited by: 879 users
07.08.2013 - 05:54
Rating: 6
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
So who is this about?
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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21.08.2013 - 20:27
crucifiedjesus

I just dont see the appeal of this
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22.08.2013 - 00:20
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by crucifiedjesus on 21.08.2013 at 20:27

I just dont see the appeal of this

Well, do you like black metal? If you don't, then you probably won't, because this contains many elements typical of the genre: shrieked vocals, lo fi production, and lyrics with a very strong Pagan or epic fantasy theme (in this case, Tolkien's LOTR trilogy). If you're talking about the silly overhype surrounding Old Mornings Dawn after its release, I'll agree with you: I found it quite irritating as well. I mean this is a great album, and I think it deserves the 9 that I gave it, but a lot of people are acting like it's going to go down as the black metal album of 2013... and personally, I think the new Meads Of Asphodel album topped it, and so will the upcoming Ruins Of Beverast and Oranssi Pazuzu releases as well. But then again, that's just my opinion, and I tend to judge quality in music on the basis of good song organization and originality. This album has a lot of elements of the former, but not many of the latter.
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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22.08.2013 - 00:24
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.08.2013 at 00:20
Well, do you like black metal? If you don't, then you probably won't, because this contains many elements typical of the genre

I think a huge amount of people into black metal would hate this too.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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22.08.2013 - 02:45
Vombatus
Potorro
Written by X-Ray Rod on 22.08.2013 at 00:24

Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.08.2013 at 00:20
Well, do you like black metal? If you don't, then you probably won't, because this contains many elements typical of the genre

I think a huge amount of people into black metal would hate this too.


And I even think that a good number of people that can't stand BM like this.

Except the vocals, no BM around here (and sometimes they diverge quite a bit from the typical shrieks...).
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22.08.2013 - 03:21
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by X-Ray Rod on 22.08.2013 at 00:24

I think a huge amount of people into black metal would hate this too.

I think a lot of people into the more crazy left-field type black metal would hate it. That's my preference when it comes to BM, but like I said I don't really hate Summoning, I just get irritated at the people who act like they're at the top of the BM food chain as far as creativity and song composition when (as we both know) they're far from it. But even so, I like to judge albums more for what they are than for what they aren't, which is why I gave this the rating. Even if it's not as original and mindblowing as I'd like it to be, it's still an excellent effort, and I think that anyone who considers themselves a serious music listener should try to maintain that sense of objectivity when it comes to recognizing skill in a band even if the music isn't given their preferred type of delivery.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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26.09.2014 - 14:07
Rating: 9
Dr. Strawberry

Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.08.2013 at 03:21

Written by X-Ray Rod on 22.08.2013 at 00:24

I think a huge amount of people into black metal would hate this too.

I think a lot of people into the more crazy left-field type black metal would hate it. That's my preference when it comes to BM, but like I said I don't really hate Summoning, I just get irritated at the people who act like they're at the top of the BM food chain as far as creativity and song composition when (as we both know) they're far from it. But even so, I like to judge albums more for what they are than for what they aren't, which is why I gave this the rating. Even if it's not as original and mindblowing as I'd like it to be, it's still an excellent effort, and I think that anyone who considers themselves a serious music listener should try to maintain that sense of objectivity when it comes to recognizing skill in a band even if the music isn't given their preferred type of delivery.

Because there is no Black there !
A Folk Metal album about vagabond, journey, nature, advanture...it's the biggest misconception for linking Folk metal and LOTR.
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09.02.2018 - 05:43
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.08.2013 at 00:20

Written by crucifiedjesus on 21.08.2013 at 20:27

I just dont see the appeal of this

Well, do you like black metal? If you don't, then you probably won't, because this contains many elements typical of the genre: shrieked vocals, lo fi production, and lyrics with a very strong Pagan or epic fantasy theme (in this case, Tolkien's LOTR trilogy). If you're talking about the silly overhype surrounding Old Mornings Dawn after its release, I'll agree with you: I found it quite irritating as well. I mean this is a great album, and I think it deserves the 9 that I gave it, but a lot of people are acting like it's going to go down as the black metal album of 2013... and personally, I think the new Meads Of Asphodel album topped it, and so will the upcoming Ruins Of Beverast and Oranssi Pazuzu releases as well. But then again, that's just my opinion, and I tend to judge quality in music on the basis of good song organization and originality. This album has a lot of elements of the former, but not many of the latter.


I agree whit you, you need be more openmidet as hate, rape, burn such shit type of bands, artistically and mussicaly this is way about all levels.
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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