Longing For Dawn
One Lonely Path (CD) 2005 Twilight Foundation
Formed in 2002, Longing For Dawn are Canada's foremost band where funeralish doom/death is concerned. The band's main man is Frédéric Arbour, who is also the mastermind behind the Cyclic Law dark ambient label, and the quality dark ambient projects Instincts and Visions. Therefore, it's no surprise that a bit of ambient, and a lot of atmosphere also slipped into this excellent new doom album. 'One Lonely Path' is the band's debut, and a very good one at that. It contains five tracks, with four passing the ten minute mark, and all of them contain a gripping mix of funeral paced doom/death, low growls and spoken word, high quality soundscapes and keyboards, and an excellent production to top it off. This blend creates a pleasing dynamic between the more intense and the calmer pieces in the songs, and all the while the album has a slow, hypnotic cadence. The songs are driven by simple melodies executed by the rhythm and/or lead guitars, while all the instruments work in perfect harmony all of the time. If I have to compare Longing For Dawn to any other band, it would be Void Of Silence, but it is, in a way, more relaxed. Don't get the wrong idea, though. This is doom, and crushingly heavy and dark until the last minute. It's difficult to point out special highlights in this kind of album, because it keeps flowing along, instead of having a lot of climactic moments. Nevertheless, "Total Absence Of Light" is my favourite track, because the melody and instrumentarium are even more crushing there, than on the rest of the album. If there is any weak point in the album, I would say that there is a tad too little variation as far as the melodies go. However, this is not a flaw of this album perse, just something that could make Longing for Dawn even better in the future. As a final judgment, so to speak, I would like to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this outstanding debut from Canada. Dark, mysterious and desperate, this is a wonderful album for those brooding souls who are in dire need of a mind-crushing fix.	5. One Lonely Path 4. Ashes Of Innocence 3. Total Absence Of Light 2. Lethal 1. Access To Deliverance (The tracks on the CD are in reverse order, compared to the order of the tracklisting on the back of the CD) Approx. 54 minutes
Reviewed by: Oscar Strik
A Treacherous Ascension (CD) 2007 Grau
Barely two years after their debut 'One Lonely Path', Canadian doomsters Longing For Dawn present their second full length, this time on Grau Records. The concept is still the same: funeral doom with a heavy dose of dark ambient atmospherics, courtesy of Frederic Arbour (Cyclic Law Records, Visions). If there's any difference with the first album, I feel that it is more confidence. The way these four massive track are constructed, combining intense, tragic riffs with synth and lead guitars, it's just a bit more natural the second time around. The album starts off at its strongest, in my opinion, with the superb first theme of "The End of Laughter" leading the way. Nevertheless, the rest of the album is very strong as well, because the composition, minute tempo differences, play between growls and downcast spoken word - it all makes these 48 minutes fly by in one big, depressive trip. This is not that one groundbreaking funeral doom album that I'm often silently waiting for. But it is an excellent album by a band that launched itself to the top of the genre practically immediately. And that is important too, bands that keep bringing out the best in an existing genre. Recommended to all lovers of funeral and atmospheric doom.	1. The End of Laughter 2. Discidium 3. Ephemeral Cure 4. Once Supreme Approx. 48 minutes
Reviewed by: Oscar Strik