Live dates
22.10.2010 Tallinn, Estonia, Club Rockstars (w. Rapture, Thrashless)
29.10.2010 Vaasa, Hullu Pullo (w. Ghost Brigade)
Sub-Fennica (FIN)
By Scorpius von Nighraeth

Rating 4.5 / 5

Let me introduce the TOD:s brand new 3rd full-lenght "Binding of the Spirit".. A masterpiece of unrivalled (Dark) musickal quality and athmosphere. Bit of a background for these wild claims must be revealed :

I haven't heard any of ToD:s previous material, but I can assure this is huge improvement over them (it just must be), the sounds are crystal clear (without being over-produced or inflated), recorded in the famous Tico-Tico studios (Sentenced and all other famous finnish metal bands) with the sound-guru Ahti Kortelainen..
The songwriting is absolutely fantastic, mixing melodic death and touches of black metal. The guitarwork alone is outstanding, progressive killer riffing (some real solos as well) and not to mention the very skilled drumming (progressive too, not those dull BM flap-flapping here!). The vocals themselves are 90% of the time normal black metal screaming, though quite well done.. (yet bit too over-used nowadays) 10 % is Real singing and bit of whispering / story-telling style. Their musick creates athmospheres, which vary on being Majestic/Fantasy, Grim/Blackish, Mystickal/Cosmick and pure grief-stricken.

I have listened this record about 40 times in row and it hasn't lost it's edge.. That is very un-usual by my standards (as I am very critical and picky about musick in general).

The Warprophet Dreams : This fucker could be their hit-track, no doubt about that! Starts with mellow acoustic guitar intro with flutes, then the killer riffs come pouring like the blood in Elisabeth Bathory's bathtub.. Multiple guitars and ahtmospheric synths in the background.. In the middle of the song there is a slowed-down part which reminds me "Conan - the Barbarian":s soundtrack. Very "easy-listening" song, yet with impressive amount of balls.

The Hermit : Ahh.. this track is pure like a fresh air in the Winter.. Don't know why, but it floats with grace trough the speakers.. The guitaring is again excellent with very heathen (progressive) touch. This song just surpasses almost every other Dark metal bands in every way. It even features normal singing vocals in the chorus, which are if not professional, but fitting to the musick.

Master's Garden : This track is synonyme with the word "athmosphere", in more than one ways. Again quite slow prog. riffing create a kind of a Trippy/psychedelic soundscapes, breaked with sudden outburst of Cosmick, noctural desolation.. Listen this at trough the headphones you just might get to the other-side..

The Wanderer: An unbelievable song with epic proportions, just the guitar-drum combo is from another world, greater than Death progressive riffing (reminds me of the good 'ol Emperor) topped with Violins are enough to make this the darkest track of the record.
Then there is a "Neo-classical" synth piece/outro in the end, while skillfully played, it didn't do much for me..

If you aren't already convinced about the excellence of "The Binding of the Spirit", you can go kill yourself for all that I care.. ;-) In other words buy/steal/borrow this album or DIE!

Aorta (FIN)


Rating: 5/5

Throes of Dawnin kolmas, "Binding of the Spirit", on looginen eteneminen "Dreams of the Black Earth":sta. Mitään niin radikaalia kuin askel "Pakkasherra":sta Dreamsiin ei olla otettu. Pitkälti samoilla jäljillä siis ollaan: koskettimet ovat selkeästi esillä ja luovat yhdessä kitaroiden kanssa sitä bändille ominaista tyyliä.

Throes of Dawnille on tyypillistä tunnelmien eräänlainen aaltoilu musiikissaan. Jo aiemmin ollaan totuttu siihen, että heidän materiaalissaan kappaleiden sisältä löytyy usein rauhallisempia vaiheita nopeampien ohessa. Tarkoituksellista tai ei, tämä tuntuu nyt pätevän myös hyvin koko levyä koskien. "The Last Rainbow Warrior" ja "The Warprophet Dreams" ovat molemmat nopeamtempoisia, mutta tämän jälkeen vaihdellaan hitaammasta nopeampaan säännöllisesti.

Kolmas biisi, "Binding of the Spirit onto Earth", on hidastempoinen ja rauhallinen, tuoden minulle mieleen Summoningin "Nightshade Forest":in. Tästä siirrytään sitten nopeampaan "The Hermit":iin, yhteen levyn ehdottomista suosikeistani. Ilmava ja rento biisi. Osittain kokeilevaa laatua, esimerkiksi väliosan alussa on ovela kitara-basso kuvio.

"Master's Garden" siirtää kuulian puolestaan hyvin ahdistavaan ja odottavaan maailmaan. Koko kappaleen läpi vievä kitaran, koskettimien ja progressiivisten rumpujen kokonaisuus ovat koko ajan alkua jollekin varsinaiselle kappaleelle, jota ei koskaan tulekaan.

"The Wanderer" on taas nopeampi ja pirteämpi, kitaravetoinen ja koskettimien tukevoittama, mitä erinomaisin biisi. "On Broken Wings of Despair" aloittaa pakanakansan hymistelyillään loppusoiton tälle levylle, jonka viimein päättää täysin instrumentaali "Stardestroyer".

Throes of Dawn on yksin kertaisesti niin paljon parempi kuin monet muut metal bändit, jotka ovat onneaan lähteneet alalle yrittämään, ettei tällaisesta voi olla pitämättä. Vaikka selostukset tunnelmien aaltoilusta voivat kuulostaa huuhaalta ja yksitoikkoiselta, ei levy sitä ole. Kappaleet ovat keskenään erilaisia ja kuten todettua tunnelmat niiden sisällä vaihtelevat laajalti. Rummutkin ovat myös T.o.D.:lla piristävä poikkeus erottumalla bläkkis yms. mättömassasta ja joissain raidoissa niissä on silkkaa progressiivisuutta.

Jotkin asiat taas eivät muutu. Niitä ovat Henrin ja Janin, bändin vokalistien, yhteistyö. Henrin vihaiset black metal ärinät saavat Janista hyvää vastapainoa, mikä oli kuultavissa jo Pakkasherra-debyytillä. Puhtaat ja pakanahymistelyt, kuiskaukset ja puheenomaiset osuudet ovat myös yksi niistä Throes of Dawnin musiikin viimeisistä sineteistä.

Kun näette kaupassa punasävyisen levyn kannessa sudenkorennon, se on merkki! Suosittelen vähintäänkin kokeilemaan. Testatkaa raitoja "The Warprophet Dreams", "The Hermit" ja "The Wanderer".


Taiwaz (FIN)
By Kreivi Korppi

Rating: 5/5

Binding the Spirit introduces us a band that's very much developed and a lot more mature and professional than ever before. The great synth-based melodies play the main role on today's Throes of Dawn, and the great BM-vocals are almost the only thing left from the rawness of "Pakkasherra".

The melodies are really sensitive and catchy, and this makes the album very enjoyable. A lot of acoustic guitars and other detached factors have been decreased since "Dreams of the Black Earth", and it only makes the music more consistent. Anyhow, the usual versatility of Throes of Dawn is still left.

This album has everything: "Master's Garden" is great tripping. The new clear vocals sound great together with the raw ones on "On Broken Wings of Despair". If the first tracks don't immediately open up for you, skip for example to "Binding the Spirit onto Earth". Its melodic atmospheres are truly inexpressible!

The true masterpiece of the album however is "The Hermit"; a hard track that also contains acoustic guitars etc., and of cource a great amount of atmospheric and feeling. It actually reflects the whole album quite well.

"Binding the Spirit" is a great album and a magnificent musical experience. It really has no trouble at all in reaching those five points.

Vibrations of Doom


Rating: 97/100

I was thoroughly impressed with this release from a band I've never heard of and a style that is pretty unusual for black metal. There are some whispered, clean sung and vicious black metal vocals mixed with Tiamat "Deeper Kind Of Slumber" styled atmospheric instrumental passages and Therion "Theli" era styled orchestration, that's about the best way I can describe what is a very powerful and balanced mixture of dark and light instrumentation and vocals.

It is truly astounding to say the least, especially considering a track like 'On Broken Wings Of Despair' could be a stoner's masterpiece, especially given the clean vocals which are more dominant here than any other track.

There were a few downsides, though, like on 'The Warprophet Dreams' where some of the guitar work tends to get a little overrepetitive, and the clean vocals on 'On Broken Wings...' gets out of sync with the music at times, but there really isn't much else to complain about.

'The Hermit' crushes with it's upfront guitar work which is very dominant and in your face, only to break things down with some awe-inspiring acoustics which are not only beautiful but dominant and soul invoking as well. If you're looking for a most diverse piece of work, one that goes from heavy to light all in the breadth of a 5 minute song, look no further than Throes Of Dawn, a masterpiece to be sure.


Metallurgy


Rating: 9 / 10

My prediction proved to be right: Finnish Dark Metal band Throes Of Dawn's third album is released by the Italian label. 'Binding Of The Spirit' deserves a good promotion.

The previous 'Dreams Of The Black Earth' promised something spectacular from TOD. Promise was kept and 'Binding...' is the magnificent result. These eight songs are huge, very melodic, interesting and what's the most important: Extremely nice to listen to. Even the songs are long and they include many parts and layers, they cohere well. Both sad and evil melodies touch my dark soul. Sometimes synths remind me of Thy Serpent and Summoning, just as some acoustic guitars remind me of 'Shades Of God' -era Paradise Lost. Only fault is the final synth track 'Stardestroyer': It's too dramatic to ENDthe record, and it should be the first track. Oh dreadfulness...

The music follows lyrical subjects closely. Poetry of death, misanthropy and emotional suffering is well written. Vocals of Henri Kaamos are almost entirely in the form of blackish growling, but his clean vocals on 'On Broken Wings Of ´Despair' are good and a welcome variation. Guitarist Jani Heinola also sings some clean vocals.

TOD have developed their sound and the song structures into original package. The music has even somewhat progressive elements, especially the song 'Master's Garden'. 'Binding...' needs some time to open fully, but it's worth it. 'Binding Of The Spirit' is simply top level Dark Metal.

Lexicon of the Damned


Rating: 92/100

These boys from Finland play extremely emotional, melodic, slow dark metal. The vocals go between the typical screamed black metal to sung male vocals. The album is laden with synthesizers which adds more texture to the melody. These guys definitely deliver the goods when it comes to melodic black metal. Their slowed down music is a needed break from the norm and it is a CD that really moves you in the spiritual and calms your senses instead of throwing a wall of sound at you. Black metal that you'd want to fall asleep to. I love it.

Pagan Dark Witchcraft


Rating: 9,5 / 10

From Suomi/Finland arrives this really brilliant group, to be honest I never heard about them before but through their biography I read the have released other cds before this and I just think that I will try to listen to the others too, because their last opus has really amazed me big time.

The screaming is Black metal oriented but about the music I think it's better to say it is a very symphonic dark black metal enriched really a lot by superbe orchestrations and a majestic use of keyboards that has been able to get my attention through all the songs. To tell the truth, I didn't find any weak spot on this cd, the beauty of all the music makes every song like a little masterpiece and definitely the more I listen to it, the more I like it. Simply brilliant, I think I shall listen to it for a real long time to come.

Burn the Sun
By Phil

Rating: Pick of the week

Why is it that all the best bands seem to come from Finland these days? Taking a little Dimmu Borgir, a pinch of Cradle of Filth, a dash of Mortiis, and a heaping mess of atmosphere, Throes of Dawn manages to stir in enough originality to create a CD that stands on its own merit. These comparisons are only meant as a reference point.

Throes of Dawn is a unique entity, sounding somewhat familiar, yet entirely fresh. The band doesn't play as fast as Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth, but there are some vocal similarities. Keyboards, also, play an important role in all the mentioned bands, but Throes of Dawn uses a more organic, fantasy tinged sound ("Binding of the Spirit onto Earth") more akin to Mortiis; however, like Dimmu Borgir, Throes of Dawn is a third or forth generation, new breed Black Metal band. The emphasis here is not on blast beats or buzz saw guitars.

Along with keyboards, acoustic guitars and clean vocals accompany a decidedly slower pace than typical Black Metal bands. The combined effect makes Binding of the Spirit a more subdued, darker affair. No matter what style of Black Metal a band chooses to play, the goal should be to illicit a response from the listener. With Binding of the Spirit, Throes of Dawn entrances and amazes track after track.

The entire CD is extremely well thought out and executed. The band shows great patience, always waiting for just the right moment to introduce a new element or style in order to transform a song from uninspired into something original and captivating.


Silent Scream
By Dario Fagiolator


Got to the third release with this "Binding of the Spirit", the first one for the Italian Wounded Love Records, Finnish Throes of Dawn show themselves to be a mature reality worth attention from all the lovers of obscurity made music. The Finnish band offers us an excellent musical mixture, that for the abundant use of screaming vocals and for some instrumental woofs can be put together with a certain kind of symphonic Black metal that is so popular recently, not so faraway then from certain solutions offered by Dimmu Borgir and Old Man's Child just to mention two known examples.

Main particularity of Throes of Dawn's sound is represented by the substantial renounce to any senseless musical fury, to which ours prefer slow rhythmical tempos, moving the fulcrum of their music towards more melodic and catchy fields, where the voice keeps on being raw and it's the guitars to play the leading role, drawing ever complex harmonies and melodies. So the band succeeds in creating ethereal and decaying atmospheres, showing a potential that will supposedly attract the interest of a wider range of audience than the one represented by the ortodox blacksters and drawed by all the lovers of the gothic and dark sounds.

We must then remark the rhythmical arrangement, that succeeds in supporting the songs all along their whole rather high lenght brilliantly and for the shining production of the famous Tico-Tico studios, swinging between harshness and neatness of sounds.

To conclude, Throes of Dawn are undoubtedly a likeable band and with great potentialities, from now an entity with a mature and definite identity.

Rock Hard (GER)
By Wolf-Rüdiger Mühlmann

Rating: 8,5

Nür mich sind THROES OF DAWN mittlerweile die wichtigste Band aus dem finnischen Underground. Verzückte bereits das Vorgängeralbum \'Dreams Of The Black Earth\' durch seine faszinierende Mischung aus Black Metal, Ulver der Folkphase und Düstermetal der Marke Primordial, so setzt sich die Truppe auf ihrem aktuellen Werk ebenfalls zwischen die Stühle.

Einerseits kreischt sich der Fronter wie ein Deibel durch die Stücke, andererseits haben THROES OF DAWN ihre Stücke mit jeder Menge Zartheit ausgestattet. Herzmusik durch und durch, mit großartigen bombastischen Harmonien und viel Liebe zum Detail. Alles klingt wie aus einem Guss. Hier sind patente Musiker am Werk.

Es ist schon beeindruckend, mit welcher Hingabe die Finnen einen Klangteppich aus Akustikgitarren ausrollen, um auf diesem ein brachiales Stahlgerüst zu errichten. \'Binding Of The Spirit\' überzeugt als Quintessenz aus frühen Katatonia, frühen Anathema und heutigen Primordial. Hervorragend!

Contatto Radio (ITA)


Throes of Dawn are a great band; they work with the right ingredients and release a record you cannot miss: ranging from 80ies dark to the most modern metal; impossible to underestimate the performance of the vocalist, in Darkthrone/DimmuBorgir style which successfully alternates clean vocals and the typical black singing. The music is very complex: mid tempo parts make way for typically dark atmospheres, obscure and filled with decadent charm. Positive words for the two guitars as well, technique used for melodies, a rare thing these days; the rhythm section is impeccable, as well as the solos which have a neoclassical touch. We won't spend a word on the production, the name Tico Tico says it all. In conclusion, this is a band that cannot be locked within tight musical boundaries, as it allows each track on this album to be absolutely original. Very peculiar is the last track, which reminds us of the sounds from another Avantgarde band, the great Pazuzu. Can't afford to miss this record!

Amboss (GER)


Nachdem ich über die Vorgänger des dritten Albums von Throes Of Dawn nur gutes gelesen habe, selber aber noch nicht in den Hörgenuss kam, war es umso interessanter "Binding the spirit" kennzulernen. Die Musik von Throes Of Dawn ist im Prinzip Dark Metal im Midtempo Bereich, bei dem die Vocals zwischen Black Metal Krächzen und cleanem Gesang wechseln, wobei ich mir letzteren noch etwas häufiger gewünscht hätte. Die Vocals tragen neben den angereicherten Keyboardsynths zu verschiedenen Stimmungsbildern in den Songs bei, die zwischen Epic und Hoffnungslosigkeit schwanken. Auch wenn es der Kreischgesang andeuten mag, auf Aggressivität in den Songs muss man fast ganz verzichten, aber trotzdem bleibt noch genug Platz für harte Gitarren. Insgesamt ensteht dadurch eine sehr düstere, melancholische, tragende Atmosphäre in den Songs, die dich für eine dreiviertel Stunde in das Reich der Finsternis holt. Auch wenn mich die Songs nicht immer hunderprozentig überzeugt haben, da noch oft eine Kleinigkeit stört, um die Songs ganz "gross" zu machen, gehört "Binding the spirit" zu den lohnenswerten Anschaffungen für die Düstermetalsammlung.

Rumba (FIN)


Vaasan veri ei todellakaan vapise. Eihän tuosta ole kuin muuan kuukausi, kun kaupungin suunnalta pamahti oikein kunnolla, ja nyt on jälleen kourassa levyllinen täyttä asiaa. Throes Of Dawnin aiemmat julkaisut ovat menneen minulta ohi - tämän uusimman näytön perusteella valitettavasti, sillä bändin kohtalomelodioin kaunistettu tunnelmallinen black/death toimii koko levyn mitan miltei kiitettävästi, eikä marinan paikkaa juuri löydy.

8 viisun paketti on sen verran tiivis, ettei yksuttäisesityksiä juuri kannata ruveta perkaamaan. Tai no, sen verran voin sanoa, että The Wanderer kolisee lujine väliosineen ehkä lujimmin. Jytinän seassa bändi päästää pihalle keskiaikaisia säveliä, ja esimerkiksi "Binding of the Spirit" kappaleen intro tai päätösbiisi "Stardestroyer" voisivat olla vanhan kunnon koukkunenän, Mortiisin, levyltä kotoisin.

Vastoin kuin moni muu alan yrittäjä, Throes Of Dawn osaa myös rauhoittua tyylillä, kuten osaksi puhtaaksi laulettu "On Broken Wings of Despair". Ei tässä voi muuta kuin siunata länsirannikon metallin laadukkuutta. Kunhan se Turun lahja Iron Cross, tule ja tee comebackia...

Transit
By Tom

Rating: 8/10

THROES OF DAWN, 'Binding Of The Spirit', (Avantgarde Music), by Tom Third album for that Finnish band, and first one under the banner of the Italian label Avantgarde, 'Binding Of The Spirit' arrives at the right time, when everything seems to be successful for bands coming from the country of vodka and industrial suicide. Just look at the killer stuff released recently by Stratovarius, Children Of Bodom and Impaled Nazarene!

And even if there are very few chances for Throes Of Dawn to sell as much as the aforementioned bands, it's not dangerous to bet that their success won't be something they will be ashamed of. With their superb artwork, that will be able to get your attention, and especially with their quality music, they shouldn't have to worry a lot.

Based on the dark and emotional atmosphere created by the keyboards, their music isn't fast (apart from some moments, where the drummer shows us that he can use his double bass), not especially aggressive, but more like mid-tempo, with the usual screamy black metal vocals, and some very cool and well done clear vocals interventions.

So, that's an album that you'll have great pleasure listening to, though –but in this style, that's sadly becoming something we have to get used to- it contains nothing revolutionary…


Darkwave


The 2 first releases of the Finnish band was a big surprise on the black-metal scene. After the end of their contract with Woodcut, they have known any problems to found a new label and it is the Italian label Wounded Love Records who have signed the band. 1 Year after their last effort, Throes Of Dawn comes back with a new release, again in the same vein than in the last album, a dark/black-metal with great atmospheres and melodies. Influenced by the heavy-metal scene, they combine their great music with tons of emotions. Very good third album for Throes Of Dawn.

Sue (FIN)


Pohojammaan poijat ovat kiinnittäneet itsensä Italiaan, ja ihmeskös tuo. Skenen halajamaa tunnelmien läpiluotaavaa tummanpuhuvaa metallia tulee koko rahan edestä. Kitaran tumma, erottuva kauneus luo tietään hitaasti, mutta varmasti sielujen syvyyksiin. J

uuri tuo hauraan kaunis kitara on Throes Of Dawnin juttu. Moni muukin sitä tehokeinonaan käyttää, onneksi kaikkien etujen mukaisesti kukaan ei kopioi toistensa soundia.

Nimibiisi on melodialtaan luokseen vetävä ja nelosbiisi, "The Hermit", osoittaa bändin olevan kaikkea muuta kuin kapeakatseinen. Ja jopa pieniä progevivahteita sisältävä levy on osoitus, jos ei muusta, niin hyvän suomimetallin leveästä rintamasta.

Renagade 2K
By Alonzo M. Moseley

Rating: 8.5/10

From Finland comes dark metallers Throes of Dawn with their 3rd full lenght album, "Binding of the Spirit", with an excellent production, their best to date. Musically it will remind you a lot the MCD "The Blackened Rainbow" (1998), but even more mature.

The songs are so long, but are more complex than the usual in the style. Musically, they remember a lot Thy Serpent and Agathodaimon, but with more atmospheric passages. The first track The Last Rainbow Warrior is Dead has some excellent riffs, and a lot of variations, with a great use of synths and keyboards, that will put you in that atmosphered that The Blood Divine (R.I.P.) used to do in their early days. The group can't be labeled as progressive, because they aren't fast enough in the drums and bass parts, preferring a slower approach, but the complexity of the compositions is always present.

The mixture of soft and melodic parts with agressive dark metal is always present in the album, but it's done perfectly in The Hermit, that even has some clean vocals, however the agressive voice predominates along the album. The last cut in a good instrumental one, Stardestroyer, closing perfectly one of the highlights among dark metal releases in early 2K.

Renewal (GER)


Lust auf melancholischen Dark Metal mit Black Metal Vocals? Dann ist Throes Of Dawn definitiv etwas für Euch. Gegründet wurde die Finnencombo 1994 von Henry Kaamos und Jani Heinola. Schon bald machten Throes Of Dawn mit ersten Alben wie Pakkasherra oder Dreams Of The Black von sich reden. Zugegeben, Musik à la Binding Of The Spirit gehört bei the renewal quasi zur Hausmarke und darf daher sowieso mit einem gewissen Sympathiebonus rechnen.

Stilistisch erinnern die beiden ersten Songs The Last Rainbow Warrior Is Dead und The Warprophet Dreams an das Stück Dreams Of Winterland vom Catamenia Album Halls Of Frozen North, während der Titel Nummer 3, Binding Of The Spirit Onto Earth, sich eher in die Richtung Stronghold von Summoning orientiert. Throes Of Dawn, das fällt sofort auf, legen sehr viel Wert darauf, ihre Stücke äusserst gefühlvoll und atmosphärisch zu gestalten, was sich in diesem Falle durch starken Einsatz von Keyboards und eher zurückhaltendem Auftreten von Gitarrenklängen erreicht wird, während einzelne Cleanvocalparts für die Abwechslung im sangestechnischen Bereich sorgen. Sicher, Unkenrufe im Stile von 'äh, Dimmu Borgir für trübe Tassen' sind durch eine solche Beschreibung vorprogrammiert. Aber weit gefehlt. Den Finnen ist es gelungen, ein sehr emotionales wie auch homogenes Album zu schaffen, welches dazu einlädt, sich für 45 Minuten aus dem Rest der Welt auszuklinken und zu entspannen.

Binding Of The Spirit bewegt sich produktionsseitig auf einem sehr hohen Niveau und vollführt auch in Bezug auf die Qualität des Songwritings keine Berg- und Talfahrten. Daraus resultiert ein äussert zufriedenstellender Gesamteindruck, der zu einer ziemlich guten Beurteilung führt. Oder einfacher ausgedrückt. Diese Scheibe sollte man sich besorgen, daran führt kein Weg vorbei, auch kein unscheinbarer Trampelpfad.

Stil: melodischer und atmosphärischer Dark resp. Black Metal im Midtempobereich

Suburbia (ITA)


Rating 4/5

Wounded Love Records sends us the latest work (the third) of Finland's Throes of Dawn, makers of an excellent gothic/dark metal and Black mix. The band is among the leaders of the Finnish scene ever since 1995, when their second demo tape stunned the underground and it is to this date regarded as one of the best ever released in Finland. The 'red-orange' keyboards (this seems to me the only suitable way to define them!) duet with the 'scream vocals' of "The Last Rainbow Warrior is Dead" and "Warprophet's Dream", while they introduce with a sort of medieval dance the acoustic and slightly dark threads of "Binding of the Spirit ontoEarth", where clear vocals also find their space. The roots of Throes of Dawn remain within Black metal, as a matter of fact "The Wanderer" and the slow "On Broken Wings of Despair" are filled with intense and wild screamy vocals. "Binding of the Spirit" is a refined mix of styles, which hits its main goal, that is, entertain the listener without giving that sorry feeling of mediocrity, which is always a risk when engaging in such experimentations.


Utter Dark Radio


Since their first full length opus 'Pakkasherra' has been released, Finnish ToD made themselves a discreet place among the bravest defenders of an authentic metal guided by the sole feelings elicited by the yearning after an ideal. 'Binding the spirit' is definitely in tune with this aspiration and grants the band an increasingly strong status. Refinement is the point throughout each single chord, which are way beyond the mercilessness metal usually generates.

No compromise with violence therefore, as we are dealing with gentlemen who chose to leave nothing to chance. One sails peacefully from delicious mid-paced drum rolls down to clean riffs well introduced by the keys. Speaking of synths, naturally a primordial component in each melody without being excessively forward, they are more to be seen as a silky veil falling over the guitars than a real conductor. This way I mean that their role - and they do it dam well - is to provide an ambient additional element close to contemplation.

This album opens on three long tracks (up to 8 minutes) which is a good way to get fully involved in ToD's method, that is charming us with beautiful intros, (c.f. 'Binding the spirit onto earth') and then then thrusting praiseworthy metal performances haunted by a recurrent theme forward. The following songs are more concise (except the memorable 'On broken wings of despair') and reveal a band which has certainly not come through all its youth anguish, like the complex wanderings at the heart of 'The Hermit' or 'The Wanderer' let us assume.

For those who like to refer themselves to other stuff, before purchasing something new to them, it is quite hard hard to find a satisfactory resemblance, but I guess I am not that far when I say that a crossover between Anathema, Empyrium and Abigor (as regards the vocals especially) might 'sound' roughly close. But I wouldn't like to get a rap over the knuckles because of this comparison, since ToD have actually managed to develop a unique and brilliant sensibility which should - it would be only fair - bring them many new adepts.

To repeat what a print media collegue said about this album, I would nevertheless say that it lacks this 'little something' that would raise 'Binding of the spirit' up as a major production. Sheer genius is not permanent for everyone....