Archives of the Dead part XXII: Dawn – The Darkness Within (demo 1993)

Archives of the Dead part XXII: Dawn – The Darkness Within (demo 1993)

Simmi Schand (drums), Robert "Wenge" Wenglorz (guitars), Martin "Witchskinner" Jäger (vocals / guitar), Arne (bass)

Recorded and mixed at Mainstreet Studio, August '93. Produced by Dawn and Falk Gruber.

Bill Koeb (Artwork)

I am surprised that in times, when almost every old demo and every old band has been already exhumed and re-released on CD or vinyl, no label was yet interested in Dawn. But I mean Dawn from Germany, not the well know Swedish band (who actually had their albums and demos re-released last year on Century Media). I hope it is a matter of time though and that their recordings will also get a proper re-release. I suppose not many of you know or remember Dawn, I cannot remember if this name have ever appeared in old fanzines, in reviews, reports, etc. Personally I also have been recommended to check them a couple of years ago – and I was really surprised by great quality of their demo from 1993 called “The Darkness Within”.

Damn, I did not expect that this demo will be that good – and I really mean GOOD, in my opinion Dawn was just as good as many other old death metal bands from Germany, such as Fleshcrawl, Obscenity, Mangled Torsos or Infected Virulence. It was the same type of brutal death metal, it was the same quality… so, why no label was interested to sign Dawn back in the old days, I have no idea. They never released an album and after “The Darkness Within” Dawn putted out just a couple of EPs (“Trespass Infinity” in 1996 and “Entrance to Malevolence” in 1998), before splitting up in 1999. What a shame. By the way, it’s worth mentioning that some of the band members played also in Blood and Malaphar.

I have listened to “The Darkness Within” many times already and I cannot say anything bad about this demo. It’s absolutely excellent stuff. Yes, it is rather typical death metal grunt, the music is relatively brutal and obscure, violent and sick. For me it’s a real jewel that people, who loved old stuff from early Benediction, Gorefest demos, Morgoth, Mangled Torsos, Sinister and so on and on should love immediately. Right from the first song “Ex Oblivion” the demo explodes with really fast stuff, but obviously it’s not one dimensional playing, so there are also classic patterns played in slower tempos and I like these slower parts the most. Take for example such killer songs like “Morbid Dawnfall” and “Open the Gate” and tell me if that isn’t a real death metal feast. I can almost see in my head Dawn playing these godly songs in a stinky small venue, with handful of maniacs banging their heads and doing an aggressive mosh. Old school to the bone, with harsh, but really awesome production.

Overall “The Darkness Within” contains five sickening brutal songs and each will bring massacre, I can promise you that! Have a bath in excrements and discover this forgotten German band!

Standout track: “Open the Gate”

Final rate: 80/100