back to Media 07

Dawn Of The New Athens is the fourth album from Minnesota's symphonic dark metal band Aesma Daeva and Dawn Of The New Athens is my first experience with them. Doing research I can see that the band has had a revolving door of musicians, but the foundation of the band from its inception has been guitarist John Prassas. The latest addition to the band is vocalist Lori Lewis, who replaces Melissa Ferlaak, current Visions Of Atlantis vocalist. Ferlaak has proven to be an extremely talented singer, but Lewis' vocal prowess is simply stunning here. And musically, Aesma Daeva -- which means "shining one" -- delivers a top notch symphonic metal performance.

To describe the music here accurately is next to impossible. Similar comparisons can be made to bands like After Forever (sans death metal growls), but only if they were channeling the classical feel of a band like the outstanding Autumn Tears or Therion and their recent Gothic Kabbalah album. And that is only scratching the surface. One can't explain the depths of the ocean in mere words. "Hymn To The Sun" is a fast-paced symphonic metal stroke of genius, while "Artemis" is an excellent piece of atmospheric doom, somber and classical. "Since The Machine" stands out with its thick chants and deep male vocals, a groovy piece of dark metal. The music on Dawn Of The New Athens is dynamic and breathtaking in its depth, but it almost pales in comparison to the sheer power of Lori Lewis' vocals. With an array of personality and range, Lewis is able to carry the music to an entirely different level. And while this will be utterly hair-raising for some, it may actually push some people away from the music, especially after listening to her stunning performance on "D'Oreste," a metal re-working of a popular aria from Mozart's Opera Idomeno.

With such a demanding musical score, Dawn Of The New Athens may be tough for some to swallow. On a basic level the album is simply brilliant; upon settling down and taking it all in, it's clear that Aesma Daeva have created an epic masterpiece with Dawn Of The New Athens. And after reading reviews of their previous releases, this will likely come as no surprise to existing fans.

[Editor's note: Since this album's official release, Lori Lewis has joined Therion as a touring musician, staying true to her "Soprano for Hire" statement, and recently completing Therion's 2007 North American tour.]

written by Ken Wood

Tartarean Desire