In search of the new doom metal gods, we often tend to exaggerate and to push things a little bit further than they deserve. Each one of us announces the new Doom Metal Gods, based mainly on his subjective opinion and preference. Pretty neat, pretty right. You have yours. I have mine too. To my view, which thankfully is in agreement with other colleagues’ in doom metal, Dawn of Winter deserve to be part of the pantheon without pushing things too far. Based on objective recording of history facts DoW is one of the pioneers of the second wave of doom metal, with stable presence and discography (ok a bit rare, but that’s life) and with countless signs of respect to the community. I mean, do you know many bands that they have uploaded their whole discography on the internet and made it accessible for all? Visit last.fm and educate the masses then, what are you waiting for?

"The Peaceful Dead" is their new album, which is released under the label of Massacre Records. It is an album that has a few differences from the previous ones (you can count together "In the Valley of the Tears" and "Doomcult Performance"). As an album it has more mid-tempo songs, which are more focused. With the exception of "Burn Another Sinner" (a quick one) and "A Peaceful Dead" (a slow one), all songs are mid-tempo ones and in terms of atmosphere very sad ones. After listening to it, you can firmly say that it’s a melodic album, with strong melodies and choruses; sad and grieved, but still melodies. Listen to "Throne of Isolation", which is one of the highlights of the album, and find out how doom metal ballads sound (not to be shared with your girlfriends mates). And then again if you want highly sophisticated doom metal riffs, you can find them in "Mourner" and "Anthem of Doom". Also the distinctive sense of irony (the bitter and thoughtful expression of disappointment and disapproval) is not so strong like in previous releases. This might be a result of the development of Gerrit P. Mutz as singer, who is now capable of more control of his voice. Yet all songs are creating a homogeneous outcome of traditional doom metal. The mark of the band leaves no shades of external factors. I mean there are certain amounts of St. Vitus-isms (too much in Jorg M. Knittel’s soloing) and Candlemass-like lines here, but it’s their character that turns these styles into their unique form. And what better exhibition of this character than the opening "Music of Despair". "Music of Despair" is the anthem of doom metal (this is the one, not the self-title track). Yes, as you may suggest, mainly for the lyrics, but not only for them. This particular song is the epitome, the article in the Encyclopedia of Metal that describes doom metal, both in music (featuring an excellent solo and an outstanding performance by Gerrit P. Mutz) and lyrics. And I am taking seriously the statement "doom is the soul of metal" for two reasons: first because I truly think that doom metal is the soul of metal, the genre that is the most traditional and the most innovative one (hardly a doom metal fan is a close minded person), and secondly because this statement come from people that have served metal music in numerous and varied ways (see progsters Tragedy Divine and true metallers Sacred Steel). The point is that in order to compose a track like this you have to be gifted with class. A class you can find also in "A lovelorn Traveller" and "The Oath of the Witch" (you can’t have a doom metal album without a witch song or can you?).

To save your time and to conclude, "The Peaceful Dead" is the most mature work by Dawn of Winter. Production-wise flawless, aesthetically perfect (another great cover, just like "Slow is the Suffering" EP), solid performances (Schmalzried and Schediwy form the most silent and reliable rhythm section in doom metal) and full of excellent compositions. Standing far from pseudo-hegemonic screams of trueness, Dawn of Winter sincerely and humbly serve doom metal and pile another stone to its building. And you are warned. In a fruitful and productive year for doom metal, you can’t afford the album of the year.