Date: 2020
Total Time: 34:34
Label: Self-Financed

   MERIDIAN DAWN is a band founded by Antony Hämäläinen (CRYSTAL TEARS, ex-NIGHTAGE) and Nick Ziros (INTO THE MOAT). They have an EP in their possession that they released during 2014, called “The Mixtape”.

   This is their first Full-Length album, entitled “The Fever Syndrome”. In addition to this duo in vocals and guitar / bass respectively, we can listen Johan Nunez (FIREWIND, ex-KAMELOT, ex-NIGHTRAGE), who is doing a very rhythmical and good job on the drums. The production has been accomplished by Jeff Cloyes and is quite clean. It also helps making the music stand out really good. But what kind of music are we dealing with heret?

   As you correctly guessed, it’s all about aggressive Death Metal, grafted with melody. The mood of the music is quite aggressive and raw. Quite often, it grabs you by the throat, and the dry, brutal vocals give a sense of all-out attack. As expected and as mentioned, the melody is not absent, especially in the lead guitar riffs, which comes to complete this raw brutality and give another dimension to the music. The compositions are mature, they follow the classic NWOSDM pattern by heart and the album at about 34 minutes does not become repetitive and does not let you get bored. Songs like “Luminescent” make sure to make the melody stand out, an element that becomes more intense as we move towards the end of the album. The final track, named “Dressed In Ice” is simply amazing, and has to be one of this release’s most representative tracks. A real, massive attack, with fine melody and a great solo.

   If you are a fan of the NWOSDM idiom, you should make sure to check this album, which is definitely not innovative, but it is also definitely worth your time and maybe something more…

Rating: 6.5/10
Editor: George Kourou
Related Link: MERIDIAN DAWN – Facebook Page