Label : Black Widow Records
Review by Luisa Mercier
Blue Dawn is an Italian rock band and this self-titled record is their debut full-length.
Even though in their decription they define their sound as a mixture of gothic and doom sounds with a progressive structure, I would better say that they play quite straightforward rock music. The intro “Crossing the Acheron” is synth/keyboard based and it creates a certain gothic atmosphere, indeed, but the following “The Hell I Am” reveals the band true identity.
Simple hard-rock music fronted by Monica Santo. Her vocals are typical heavy metal ones and do not offer a great variation in style, to say the truth. In their presentation they state that their main influences are Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Who, Deep Purple, but the traces of these legendary bands are quite faint. Maybe “Shattered Illusions” and “In My Room” are the ones which shows more the progressive and doom echoes. The most notable thing is the fact the rhytm section is quite apparent in all the tracks, maybe because the bass player is the main composer in the band. Also guitars and solos are very prominent. But all the songs sound quite similar with few spots left free for keyboards apart from the last track “Deconstructing People”.
Longest song in the album, it has faster paced and slower moments, and other instruments appear. At about half the song a saxophone to add a certain dramatic feeling, followed by an accordion that, on the other hand, makes everything folkish.
I am sorry to say that only one interesting track does not help to improve the record. Maybe next time a little more variations in the music would help. “Deconstructing People” shows that there are potentialities for a good outcome.
Rating – 65/100
Tracklist
- Crossing the Acheron
- The Hell I Am
- Inner Wounds
- Hypnotised by Fire
- Shattered Illusions
- In My Room
- A Strange Night
- Dead Zone
- That Pain
- Deconstructing People
Line Up
- Monica Santo – Vocals
- Paolo Cruschelli – Guitar
- Enrico Lanciaprima – Bass & Vocals
- Andrea Di Martino – Drums