You can support Terra Relicta by donating! Please, do so, and thank you!
Band: Red Sun Revival
Album title: Running From The Dawn
Release date: 12 October 2012
Label: AF-music
Tracklisting:
01. My Child
02. Running From The Dawn
03. Lost For Words
04. Last Chance
05. Wide Awake
06. Miracles
07. Without You
08. Forgive Us Now
09. Nothing To Hide
It has been a while since I've heard such deep and emotive vocals and enjoyed melancholic atmospheres like Red Sun Revival offers on this album. This London based group has achived something that every devoted gothic rock fan wishes for, and they did it on their very first studio album. Nine songs featured on this album were done in a four year period between 2007 and 2010 by the mastermind Rob Leydon, who later spent a lot of time in developing and perfecting this material. Yes, he succeeded, Running From The Dawn is astonishing and captivating self-declarative mystical journey.
"Tell me you still hear me / I suppose you understand" is a call of desperation on the opener "My Child" which grabs you with it's melancholic vibe and takes you into places somewhere that only few groups can; do you remember Elizium from Fields Of The Nephilim? Bass drive, blistering percussions and gently sparking guitars are giving a fence to lean against, mournful synths and violin lines work like a pillow where you can bury your tearful face after the burial of your loved one. Robs voice is a haunting baritone, so deep and emotional, with some rasp, that almost brings tears in your eyes. There's a lot of reverb used to make it even deeper and more atmospheric on the right places and although being dark and gloomy gives some kind of warmth and comfort, plus that special energy needed to make everything more interesting. Just listen to the chorus of "Lost For Words" which Rob written about his father: "If you’re overcome now / Then I think I understand / I feel so proud of you right now / Did you let your guard down? / Are you fighting back the tears? / You’ve never wept in all these years." Yes, there's a lot of poetical mastery in the words that Rob delivers through his lyrics. Almost epic ballad "Last Chance" has some guitar work that reminds to the best parts of The Cure's most melancholic songs, no need to say that even some short guitar solos are inserted perfectly and blend masterfully with the rest of sounds. Echoes of orchestral and choral aspects make this album tasteing like a perfect soundtrack for someones most honest regrets. Each song has kind of special energy that flows so smoothly and reaches his peak in chorus of "Wide Awake". A lot of dramatic moments, for example in vocally expressive "Miracles" adds kind of psychedelic dimension. The piano touches on "Without You" that merge into exquisite drive and one hell of a heartfelt gothic rock masterpiece with catchy playful keys and one of the best gloomy atmospheres up here. The listener can find even some folk, alternative rock, maybe a touch of Pink Floyd from their latest works (probably because it was mastered by the twice Grammy nominated sound engineer Andy Jackson, producer of Pink Floyd’s Division Bell album) and post-punk notes, but only in the background layers of the songs, so the true goth adventure is not ruined. Bob Loveday of Bob Geldof's band offered some amazing guest violin lines on this album and bands violinist Christina Emery did a fantastic job among others especially on "Forgive Us Now". Everything ends with another "The Cure meets Fields Of The Nephilim" masterpiece "Nothing To Hide", again with the same sparking guitar touches, dark synths, drama and once again melancholy that with those words: "I disappeared from your sight / Within a flickering moment / I’m only here in disguise / Just like a passing illusion", slowly fades and ends this mourning. No, this album is not just a passing illusion, it rests and echoes in your mind long after you stoped listening to it and I'm sure that some captivating verses will be sang and whispered by gothsters lips many times.
Beautiful and smooth, adventureous and warm, still cold in it's core. It's a lullaby for long silent nights that approach with the winter season. If there's a possibility to chose an album that I would like to be played on my funeral than Running From The Dawn is one of the candidates. I must mention also great production and marvelous mix that make this album, although it has pure 80's or 90's golden goth vibe, somehow modern.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 9/10
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
