Daylight Dies

The buzz was already in full swing for North Carolina’s doom/death practitioners Daylight Dies when they released 2002’s No Reply, their lauded debut full-length on Relapse. Fans held their collective breath after Nathan Ellis replaced departing vocalist Guthrie Eddings, but the band’s current blockbuster, Dismantling Devotion, attests to the renewed power of this quintet, bolstered by Ellis’ primal yet melodic growls. Opener "A Life Less Lived” begins with an acoustic interlude then dives headlong into a Katatonia-esque web of riffage and textures, with bassist Egan O’Rourke contributing clean vocals during a mid-song bridge. "Lies That Bind” swaps O’Rourke’s clean vocals for the verses, but retains Ellis’ deep snarls in the choruses. Album highlight "Strive to See” features Opeth-like chord progressions and a flawless interplay between guitarist Barre Gambling and drummer Jesse Haff. The instrumental title track is complete Katatonia worship until the acoustic guitars and classical strings erupt, resounding with a church-like quality. With an album that finally surpasses Chicago mainstays Novembers Doom, it’s no wonder that Daylight Dies were picked to open for Emperor’s summer tour. America’s answer to Katatonia’s Brave Murder Day, Dismantling Devotion is at once captivating and far-reaching with its expansive latitude and instantly galvanising doom aesthetic.