BEFORE THE DAWN RELEASE NEW EP ARCHAIC FLAME.

Scott O'Shea
Mar 8, 2024
2 min read

Information Provided By Our Partners: Napalm Records

After a decade of silence, BEFORE THE DAWN shattered expectations with their comeback album, Stormbringers, and the reconquering of Europe’s stages in 2023. Now, the Finnish metal juggernauts triumphantly return to the forefront of the metal scene with their brand-new EP, Archaic Flame.

Originally the brainchild of Finnish Metal Award-winning Tuomas Saukkonen (Wolfheart), BEFORE THE DAWN has undergone significant transformations with their recent album. With a bold new lineup, Saukkonen has taken his place behind the drums, showcasing his versatility. Paavo Laapotti, a finalist in the 2022 Voice Of Finland competition, now commands vocals with undeniable prowess. Meanwhile, Juho Räihä, known for his tenure as a solo guitarist since 2006 and as a member of Swallow The Sun, takes up the guitar, ushering in a new era of BEFORE THE DAWN.

Introductory track "Archaic Flame" is a sonic inferno that showcases BEFORE THE DAWN's mastery of melodic death metal. Galloping guitar rhythms interfere with calmer parts while the intense clean vocals of Paavo Laapotti and an astonishing guitar solo create a melodic atmosphere. Followed by “Chaos Sequence”, catching instantly with a fast-paced intro and raw death metal facets, the everchanging clean vocals with deep, visceral growls build up an untamable atmosphere. “Run To You”, a stunning cover of the hit song by Canadian rock and pop musician Bryan Adams, is painted in a new light and presents a whole new side of one of the most successful metal bands from Finland. The track is dominated by dreamy synthesizer and the poppy clean vocals of Paavo Laapotti, catapulting BEFORE THE DAWN into a completely new universe while raw, deep growls maintain the depths of their trademark darkness. Taken from their 2008 album, Soundscape Of Silence, the band closes the EP with a live version of one of their most successful songs, “Dying Sun”, recorded at Finnish venue Logomo in September 2023.

Prepare for the resurgence of BEFORE THE DAWN as they unleash the Archaic Flame EP. The flame has been rekindled, and the metal world will once again be ablaze with the triumphant return of this iconic Finnish metal force!

Listen to the bands single 'Archaic Flame' taken from their EP: