You can support Terra Relicta by donating! Please, do so, and thank you!
Band: Dark
Album title: Inside The Void [EP]
Release date: 30 April 2021
Label: Self-Released
Genre: Gothic Rock
Tracklist:
01. Finally Home
02. One Of Us
03. Die Together
04. Memories
Swedish gothic rockers Dark are back in full dark force with a new EP. A follow up to the self-titled debut album from six years ago brings four songs of hard-hitting dark rock and a haunting atmosphere. In case you didn't know, Dark is a band formed by some of the ex-members of The Mary Major and Beseech. Inside The Void EP has a short playtime, only around 15 minutes, but these minutes are full of intense moments, and if you judge from the band's name it must be dark,... and yeah, it is.
The band consists of guitarist/vocalist Erik Molarin and guitarist Jonas Strömberg, who both made a part of Beseech and The Mary Major. Together with bassist Jörgen Ström, an ex-The Mary Major member, and drummer Mats Törnebohm, who's active in the thrash/death metal band Beneath. They offer a little bit heavier and darker stuff than we were used to hearing on their debut, but there are no drastic changes. From the catchy danceable rhythms to lavish doom rock deep gloomy cathartic moments, Dark keeps the listener focused.
The deep, timbre, dark, powerful and velvety emotional voice of Erik is good and effective, yet a typical gothic one and I find it as one of the best male vocals inside this genre. The guitar lines are simple but vibrant thanks to the use of two of them. The rhythms are cosy, warm with a captivating semi-to-slow paced drive. Reverberate bass lines and strong pounding percussion does the thing, and Dark on this EP sounds pretty persuasive. Quite often Dark insert interesting electronic samples and mournful synths to create the music even more dynamic.
The song that stands out is absolutely "One Of Us". The most evocative, massive, slowly but nicely building up and as well the darkest thing here. Great synths that remind of the best times of Beseech, fantastic vocal job with background chants in the chorus and thick yet stunning doomy atmosphere makes it one of the top choices in the recent offering inside the genre. The production is excellent, adds depth and intensifies the overall feeling. Dark incorporate in their music the classic gothic rock elements that are spiced-up with doom and post-punk, which is perfectly heard in the lively opener "Finally Home". They can sound pretty heavy and sometimes alternative, and offer some gritty guitars in certain parts, like in the danceable "Die Together". It's nothing strange if the whole thing might here and there sound just like if Beseech, Type O Negative, The Sisters Of Mercy and The 69 Eyes are all blended and the most evident result of this is "Memories".
In the case of Dark's new EP, we got four tunes that can't be missed in the collection of any fan of gothic rock. There are enough intriguing moments, and Dark know how to make captivating dark rocking music by merging certain Northern coldness with melancholic warmth and spicing it up with the depth of turbulent old school goth rock drive. They don't rush, don't do unnecessary experiments, and keep it simple, yet beneath the surface is still a lot to discover. This is music that you can spin at a gothic party, or you can listen to it in your solitude, it works in any way.
The review was written by Tomaz
Rating: 7,5/10
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
