Bringing in influences as varied as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Propagandhi and Woody Gutherie, Dawn Ray’d reinterpret anti-fascist, anarchist folk through the lens of atmospheric black metal. On their third full length album the British trio explore a much more down to earth approach, with lyrics following the everyday lives of working class people and how they’re impacted by modern capitalist society. The trio of drummer Matthew Broadley, guitarist Fabian Devley and frontman/violinist Simon Barr create a completely unique sonic experience, somewhere between ethereal and brutal.
To Know The Light starts with its best foot forward on opening track ‘The Battle Of Sudden Flame’, an ACAB anthem with a backdrop of blast beats and growls. The trio’s use of violin instead of the usual lead guitar in a black metal setting is inspired on this track, complimenting the chugging, tremolo picked guitar riffs with a folk fiddle, bringing a haunting, ghostly air to the song. The lyrics are outwardly and aggressively anti-establishment and anti-police ending with a cathartic scream of “Only a coward fights for the state”, embracing the messaging of their punk and anarchist folk roots with the anger and savagery of black metal.
The greatest strength of Dawn Ray’d is the trio’s ability to bring out the angriest aspects of folk and the most atmospheric elements of black metal, this is exemplified on the track ‘Ancient Light’. Bringing together growling vocals and relentless distorted guitars alongside stripped back, reverb drenched drums, eerie synths and strings and haunting, chanted backing vocals, ‘Ancient Light’ is the sonic blueprint the rest of To Know The Light draws from. Lyrically this track focuses on the constant pressure on the working class to work harder and deny themselves basic needs to bring ever more money and resources to those who already have too much, it’s a powerful message and one that’s amplified by the medium.
The track ‘Requital’ completely strips back the sound of Dawn Ray’d to a haunting, anti-capitalist dirge that embodies the band’s ethos while providing a break from the more ferocious aspects of their previous work. Cutting out the instrumentals and putting the spotlight solely on the three member’s voices and lyrics, ‘Requital’ delivers a soulful choir lamenting the capitalist machine’s destruction of our planet and threatening revenge against the rich who think they can survive. This track’s powerful, poetic message is intensified by the gloomy, reverb drenched harmonies reminiscent of a mournful funeral service.
“A triumph in metal experimentation and anarchist, anti-fascist songwriting”
An absolute highlight of To Know The Light is the track ‘Sepulchre (Don’t Vote)’, which distils the anti-establishment spirit of Dawn Ray’d into an intense black metal experience. This track is the closest Dawn Ray’d come to a more traditional metal approach on the album, although not without folk influences, with a blistering pace and throat-shredding, growled vocals decrying the UK’s political system where the voices of those trying to make a difference are outweighed by those who listen to state propaganda blaming migrants and the working class.
‘In The Shadow Of The Past’ brings the album down to earth with doom inspired chugging guitars and atmospheric violin that reinforce the band’s message. A slight change in pace from some of the tracks on the album which fly by at breakneck speed, The Shadow of the Past takes it’s time to get the band’s message across, with a violin intro that wouldn’t be out of place in The Banshees of Inisherin and a first verse featuring staccato screams and chugging guitars that fans of Conjurer will find familiar before building up to violent black metal excess as the track crescendos. Lyrically acting as a call to action against, and warning of, the rise of modern day fascism this song is one of the album’s most emotionally and politically charged pieces of poetry.
To Know The Light’s closing track finishes the album off with an intense, uplifting call to arms full of atmosphere and theatricality. Closer ‘Go As Free Companions’ accompanies the violin featured throughout the rest of the album with a grandiose pipe organ recorded at St Paul’s Church in Huddersfield to bring an extra layer of ambience to the track. Inspiring lyrics of solidarity for those who fight against tyranny for basic human rights delivered through a passionate snarl culminate in encouragement for downtrodden soldiers for the cause who have given up hope. ‘Go As Free Companions’ retains the spirit and message of previous tracks but with a more optimistic outlook, bringing a sincere positivity to an album lamenting tragedies in modern society.
To Know The Light is a triumph in metal experimentation and anarchist, anti-fascist songwriting. Beneath the screams and blast beats lies a deeply personal, unique and timely album that incites direct action against the capitalist machine. The inspired use of violin, synth and even organ parts bring an air of folk rebellion that sets Dawn Ray’d apart and elevates the album to great heights.