This album is dedicated to those tortured in exile for their Ideals such as believing that this world can and will change, to those struggling in the Impoverishment and the Depression of this System and Society, to those refusing to Obey to the new Dystopia and kneel down as Modern Slaves.
Thlipsis (as I'll call them, I'm not gonna practice my Greek) have launched out of the gate on Dawn of Defiance with a beautiful and memorable album that holds their heads alongside the best contemporaries of this era.
I actually discovered this album by accident. Uploaded to a goregrind channel of all places, the odd-man-out black metal album caught my eye with its dreary artwork and Spawn-mask-infused logo. Immediately upon listening however, I could see why it was here. These vocals are brutal, agonizing, and powerful. Not quite goregrind-reminiscent, as it's certainly a black metal album, but something an enjoyer of any extreme subgenre could hear and appreciate. But I was hooked in, not just from the breathtaking vocals, but from the beautiful songwriting that was happening behind it.
This album is riffy as all hell. We hear multiple callbacks to influences like the end half of Gorgoroth's "Maneskyggens Slave". Constantly melodic and galloping, Thlipsis isn't reinventing the wheel here, but performing this style of black metal at its best with their own flair.
Things reach a perfect climax halfway through with their longest track, "The Night That Wolves Were Silent", with perhaps their most melodic and expressive performance. But they're not letting up after that, with some beautiful half-paced sections and soloes on their closing tracks, reaching an ending triumph in "Enemy at the Gates". If I were to give one criticism, I do feel the closing track could be a bit stronger, but it's a fitting conclusion that's only a small mark against an otherwise great album.
Another important thing that should be highlighted here too is the production and mix. It's excellent. Neither too raw nor overly clean, with each instrument and vocal having their highlight. The bass is not only audible but well-performed, the guitars are exactly where they need to be, the drums are pounding, and the vocals hit the forefront without overwhelming the instrumentation.
This has easily been one of my biggest surprises from 2023, and I hope it's only the beginning for this band.
Sample:
(11) Θλίψις - Dawn Of Defiance (Full Album) - YouTube
