Genre: Epic/Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Label: Raw Skull Records
Year: 2020
Just Before Dawn is a 1981 American slasher film (there’s also a film with the same title which is the 7th film of the “Crime Doctor” series, that I’ve never seen to be honest) directed by Jeff Lieberman and starring Chris Lemmon and Deborah Benson. The film follows a group of hikers who travel into the Oregon Mountains to visit property inherited by one of them, only to be hunted by a ruthless backwoods killer. The film despite not being a commercial success when released, it received positive reviews, with many praising the atmosphere and cinematography and now has gained a cult following over the years. Just Before Dawn is as well the moniker of the Swedish war-themed Death Metallers that released two days ago, their fourth studio album (on September 25th) via Raw Skull Records, entitled “An Army at Dawn.” I doubt if the album will be a commercial success, just like the 1981’s film, but I would bet my money on it, that will receive positive reviews, with many praising the atmosphere and the riffs and probably will gain a cult status over the years. Musically speaking the classic Bolt Thrower riffing is dominating the sound, but not suffocating the atmosphere that is doomy and gritty in the veins of Hail of Bullets, but also has many melodic and technical moments. Anders Biazzi’s (Gods Forsaken, ex-Amon Amarth, ex-Blood Mortized) is the main composer and delivers tons of good ideas in his songs. He also uses many different singers {[Ralf Hauber (Revel in Flesh) on “To the Last Tiger”, Matias Nastolin (Decaying, Altar of Betelgeuze) on “The Guns at Last Light”, Daimen Terry on “Goliath Revived” and “Belaya Smert”, Thomas Clifford (Throne of Heresy, Abscession) on “Dance of Katyusha”, Hook (Feral) on “With Everything We Have” and “Unless Victory Comes”, Andreas Stenlund (Gravisphere, Harmdaud) on “With Everything We Have”, Mattias Parkkila (Malfeitor, Birch Mountain) on “The Atlantic Wall” and Robert “Rio” Karlsson (Creeping Flesh) on “Into the First Wave”]} for the 10 songs of the album, giving an extra dynamic and variety without losing the album’s coherence or flow. The album is based on mid-paced songs, while in addition there are slight hints of death/doom elements on some of the tracks that enriches the already full of emotions and galvanic ambiance of “An Army at Dawn.” Highlights: “Dance of Katyusha”, “Unless Victory Comes”, “An Army at Dawn” and “Goliath Revived”.