Dylath-Leen – “Semeïon” (2008)

Label: Great Dane Records/Season of Mist

Review by Luisa Mercier

“Semeïon” dates back to 2008 and it is the second full-length effort by the French band Dylath-Leen. Their music is often described as melodic death metal or atmospheric death metal. I assume that both can be suitable definitions, since they have their foundation in melodic death but their sound involves melodic gitar riffs and symphony.  Dylath-Leen is even more unique in their sound because they have two vocalists; both of them provide growling vocals. This could seem useles, but in the band it works pretty well because one growler is a man (Igor Landorique) and the other is the female vocalist (Kathy Coupez), who also provides some clean vocals, quite ethereal ones I have to say, in some songs (as in “Adoring Wounds”). The man’s growl is a much deeper growl, while the girl’s is more similar to screaming. Her clean vocals and her screaming are a nice contrast addes to harsh yet melodic music. The first two tracks are pretty much all sung by Kathy, and are quite nice pieces of music. “Adorning Wounds” is the first single, they even shot a video for it, and it is a good choice to promote them to new listeners, capturing many aspects of their style.The third track “Contain” features male growls only, making it appear as a much more heavy song than the others. It even has some black metal riffs.  The following song, “Leering Sky” focuses on being melodic over brutal. I’m very keen on Coupez’s early vocals on this one , making the song more atmospheric in the beginning contrasting with the following violent harsh vocals. Coupez returns on the next track, “Frozen Reflect in a Broken Mirror”, a long seven and half minute piece with growling, screaming and clean vocals. The song features good growls and clean vocals on her part and near the end there’s also some good acoustic parts, while at almost half guitar riffs provide some epicness. One thing people will notice about Dylath-Leen is the absence of guitar solos, but I do not mind about them. I am not so keen on technical stuff. Otherwise everything is actually good as far as the genre is concerned. Where keyboards are used they are more background so as not to dominate the metal instruments. This is definitely a death metal album, there is little space for symphonic parts.

Rating – 70/100

Tracklist

1. Buy Me a Smile
2. Adorning Wounds
3. Contain
4. Leering Sky
5. Frozen Reflect in a Broken Mirror
6. So Ill-fated
7. Scars as Victories
8. My Worldly Goods
9. My Despair
10. Abhoth
11. In Memory of Those Halcyon Days

Line Up

• Kathy Coupez – Vocals & Guitar
• Igor Landorique – Growls & Vocals
• Magali Seguy – Keyboards
• Jérémy Mairesse – Bass
• Bertrand Oria – Drums

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