dorian black
Reviewed by: Alastair Collins
Published: 2 March 2011
ep: still life
You really do need to give Dorian Black credit for their sense of aesthetics. They’re aiming for a very specific dynamic and they certainly hit it; particularly visually and in the little details, such as the Bassist’s assumed moniker – Decay.
Thankfully, the style of music evoked by the aesthetic is not completely accurate: I was expecting an indecipherable mess of black metal, thrash guitars and double kick drumming. To my pleasant surprise, I found that their debut EP, ‘Still Life’, is a well thought out and paced example of melodic metal using the possibilities of a play time over three minutes to create a solid atmosphere. This really is a CD, with its two rather ethereal spoken word sections, to listen to as a whole for greatest effect.
Opener 'Dark New Order' is, hands down, the strongest stand alone track and a good choice to lead in with. The chorus’s melodic hook is very effective and, while the rest of the EP lacks the same strength, the immersion gained by opening with this track helps to counteract that with good listener investment. This is the song by which to judge the EP and the band.
Following up from 'Dark New Order' is the first of the spoken word segments, 'Obsession,. Honestly, I don’t actually listen to the words in sections life this, because I know that nine times out of ten, the words aren’t the important point. The is to nail home the listener’s attention, particularly if they are listening to the EP passively. Obsession does this beautifully; the first time I listened to the EP passively by the time the next track had begun, I was completely zoned out of the music, letting it colour my environment, not intrude on my conscious thoughts.
'Air' begins a bit suddenly, but thankfully not sudden enough to break the immersion of the EP’s beginning. Certainly not a strong enough track to use as a single, Air’s instrumentation is strong and the melody is interesting, even if it’s not catchy.
The EP then changes, rhythmically, with the acoustic-at-first titular track, 'Still Life'. Initially very interesting, with good guitar work and a nice melody, the track’s length detracts from it. After the very effective mid song intensity shift and solo, the return to the initial style just seems to drag.
Dorian Black do something interesting from here; 'Downfall' keeps with the mixed rhythm dynamic, taking the EP back towards the heavier material, before 'Shades of Grey' takes it right back to the slower style. 'The Watcher' then brings the EP back to its initial intensity with a nice sense of fulfilment, before it is rounded off with the spoken, albeit reversed, word 2012. Each of these tracks is solid and enjoyable, but again, they lack the catchiness or immersion value of 'Dark New Order'. What makes it remarkable is the song choices and ordering, which are very effective here.
Dorian Black’s ‘Still Life’ is a very solid listen from start to finish, but only 'Dark New Order' is really worth listening to on its own.
