Always regarded as one of the more interesting doom-related bands, this time around Daylight Dies have gone for a sound that emphasises the gloomier aspects of their approach. The musical tone is harsher and more sparse than was the case on the last album, 2008’s Lost To The Living.
There are still the inevitable melancholic moments – as on Hold On To Nothing – but a lot of the tracks have an almost bitter edge. Actually, this suits the band, with The Pale Approach and Sunset being particularly effective, as the harsh vocals of Nathan Ellis really make an impact.
The best of Daylight Dies comes through at the end of the album. The ominously sedate instrumental Water’s Edge leads into An Heir To Emptiness, a towering epic of dark, brooding musicianship and primal vocals. It’s here that the guitars of Barre Gambling and Charley Shackelford make their finest impact, as the sound sends shivers down the spine. It’s a progressive metal masterstroke that builds to a menacingly eerie climax. A Frail Becoming is arguably the band’s best album.
