Year: 2024
Total Time: 14.43
Label: Napalm Records

One year after the release of “Stormbringers”, Finnish band BEFORE THE DAWN has returned with the EP “Archaic Flame” which was released on 8th of March. The reformed lineup, introduced to us in “Stormbringers” remains intact in “Archaic Flame” marking the band’s resurgence.

The band’s founder, Tuomas Saukkonen, who previously handled vocals and guitar, now exclusively takes on the drums. Juho Räihä (SWALLOW THE SUN) handles all the guitars, while Pyry Hanski (…AND OCEANS) is on bass. Saku Moilanen (owner of Deep Noise Studios) is responsible for the keyboards, and Paavo Laapotti (finalist in the Voice of Finland competition in 2022) is on vocals.

The EP consists of four songs: two new ones, “Archaic Flame” and “Chaos Sequence”, a cover of Bryan Adams’ “Run To You” and a live recording of “Dying Sun”. The two new songs are intense, with heavy guitar riffs, alternations between clean and harsh vocals, and a balanced use of keyboards for a harmonious result. The songs also showcase Laapotti’s vocal range, with deep growls and harsh vocals in “Chaos Sequence” and more versatile performances in “Archaic Flame”.

The cover of “Run To You” is unexpected but works well. The band approaches the song with a heavy vibe, replacing some of the original guitar parts with keyboards, creating a new and interesting version. The band has tried something similar in the past, with much better results in my opinion, with their cover of PLACEBO’s “The Bitter End”. The live recording of “Dying Sun” taken from their performance at Logomo in 2023, demonstrates Laapotti’s capability as the new lead singer.

With the release of “Archaic Flame” BEFORE THE DAWN seems to want to keep the communication with their audience alive (as “Stormbringers” was released eleven whole years after “Rise Of The Phoenix”), to cement their comeback, and to confirm that the new lineup has a lot to offer in the future.

Rating: 7/10
Editor: Antonis Braikidis
Related Link:  BEFORE THE DAWN – Official Page