Daylight Dies

Lost to the Living

Candlelight 2008

Ever since Katatonia progressed beyond their death metal masterpiece Brave Murder Day, there has been a void for that kind of style.  Some have tried to recreate that mood and atmosphere with different levels of success.  Finland's Rapture is a good example of this.  However, none have equaled the spot-on sincerity and adherence to style like North Carolina's Daylight Dies.  From the opening notes of Cathedral it is blatantly evident that what the listener can expect almost complete Katatonia worship.  There are however deviations from this formula such as the slightly more uptempo Descending which is reminiscent of Daylight Dies demo material and the clean-vocalled Last Alone which reminds me somewhat of modern Katatonia at their most sparse.  A Subtle Violence however is a dismal homage to that soulful blueprint with its rhythmic backbone and haunting main melody.  Constantly morphing itself within the framework of Katatonia's rigid style, At A Loss brings to mind cataclysmic fatalism through its use of a despondent melody and gravel scraping vocals courtesy of Nathan's sorrowful lungs.  Meanwhile Woke Up Lost is yet another clean-vocalled exercise in despair that echoes the same themes of hopelessness but this is somewhat further away from modern Katatonia with its ghostly vibe.  Daylight Dies has crafted another genuine and heartfelt album that pays such homage to Brave Murder Day era Katatonia that at times it nearly borders on plagiarism.  However that's what everyone who listens to Daylight Dies is hoping, nay, praying for.  If you've ever cursed Katatonia for progressing beyond that monumental album, then despair no longer as Daylight Dies is here to add yet another chapter to that melancholic legacy.