Dawnwalker record progression: Ages, 2020, 58 minutes, Black/Death/Prog/Post, all still somewhat metallic. House of Sand, 2022, 43 minutes, Post Metal, Progressive Rock, loads of ambient musings, and some psych. And lastly, this year’s The Unknowing, 38 minutes, mostly alternative and psych/prog rock, a wee bit of hidden ambients, and a few Post Metal moments. Interesting, isn’t it?
Dawnwalker is a free-wheeling act, to say the least. One that seems caught in the good ol’ 2-year Loop ov Creators’ Purgatory of ever-recurring new releases. And they have been at that particular game since 2016. However, the Law of Diminishing Returns seems to play out if you judge them by the album lengths. Those mostly always declined ever since Dawnwalker started with full-length records. And while Ages sported some roaringly good metallic spots, House of Sands erred on the eclectic side with snarky monologues, ambients, and a massive somewhat elitist production. Now, The Unknowing seems to have shed Teh Manacles Ov Metal and gone somewhere entirely different. Let’s see if we can beat some sense into this intertwined and writhing mass of sound.
This time, Dawnwalker went full-tilt moonstruck on us. The Unknowing feels like some sort of ethereal delirium that’s difficult to grasp and wrap your tent around. Or is this a weedy way to weed out weedy things from unexpected places? Who knows. But then, the weirdo carousel on full display is also part of the fascination for this band. Because, as the saying goes, no record of this band sounds alike. And this is true – and then it is not. You always will get a somewhat unhinged wispy Opeth-y quality, mixed with the somnambulant musings of Final Coil of a few years ago.
And this record is no different. But whatever they go for, it’s always Mark Norgate on steroids with a new set of artists. Even if that isn’t quite true either. Bella Band – for instance – was already present on the remake of Human Ruins in 2023 for a weenie bit of a performance. And while this is an interesting concept, it creates, at the same time, a band with a certain lack of consistency.
The Unkowing somewhat lost the mistier part of the House of Sand and strayed into Progressive and Alternative territory with some of Tuomas Holopainen’s solo qualities and a mix of late Porcupine Tree and early Steven Wilson. Apart from the aforementioned ever-present Opeth / Final Coil influences, that is. The record is full of reflectively constructed passages that oscillate from dreamy ambient melodies and harmonies to meat-laden leads and solos. The subdued riffs and Post Metal chugs add sorely needed spice to what would otherwise turn into a mushy mess of melodies, harmonies, and half-finished ideas.
The Unknowing definitely is a record that will demand your undivided attention for a while. At the surface, a lot of those free-wheeling tracks seem to navigate on the simple, even simplistic side. But the more you progress into the significant depth of this record, the more you unearth little nuggets that shine brightly in that deceptively monochrome mass of sounds and quietly emotive impressions. In other words, Norgate by no means pulled a fast one on us but instead made complex songwriting appear simple. And that’s an art not many creators out there really excel in. To top it all, the inclusion of Sofia Sourianou‘s female vocals always offer a welcome contrast to Norgate‘s overly present musings. And sometimes we wished these two would have traded places more often.
At first, you won’t get it, but The Unknowing is a varied record, too. Quiet, introspective, almost melancholic, yet complex rock pieces (Thema Mundi) trade places with sturdier Post Metal fare (The Law). Mirrorpool might rub the beastly metalheads the wrong way with its pagan airs seemingly straight out of Wardruna’s backyard. I was glad Dawnwalker didn’t insert some of those slightly annoying and ubiquitous wails just for sport. The RMR crew loved the poignantly progressive tracks such as Sword of Spirit that have the potential to challenge the current prog masters.
But sometimes the noodling moves a tad too far. Heaven and Earth – for instance – takes loop after loop of the same and similar themes until some neat progression and powerful riff patterns save it from oblivion. But those are minor quibbles that shouldn’t deter us from enjoying an otherwise highly captivating album.
Ultimately, The Unkowing thrives on a production of frugal instrumental structures and powerfully emotive and introspective vocals. It doesn’t overpromise and underdeliver – and it’s by no means easy fare. It weaves its yarn through jaunty offerings to full-blown paganesque contemplations. A ‘new’ style of a band in perpetual movement that left metal by the wayside whilst not letting us forget where its origins once were. And that adorns the record’s title – The Unknowing – with a new meaning, doesn’t it? Because Dawnwalker yet again brought us a newly furnished piece and we never knew what hit us – until it did. However, we’re glad we spent the time to discover the shiny objects hiding in its murky depths.
Ed’s note: Need more, check out Dawnwalker‘s newest piece!
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: Self-Released | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 18 October 2024