Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Brazil’s metal band ‘Dark Night’ has returned from their crypt to release their new album Cemetery Porter with Sanctus Gladius Records. The band is made up of members from Brutal Force & Imperial Dust along with two additional musicians – Est Coachman on bass and Carlos Illuminati Hunter on guitar. One of the main things that Dark Night is known for is how they musically sound like King Diamond/Merciful Fate, which you can definitely hear starting with the opening track.
“New York, Dreams in the Night” is the opening track. The music has a dark atmosphere to it but it’s the falsetto vocals that really nail the King Diamond/Merciful Fate similarities. The vocals are very well pulled off as well – going from the falsetto to his normal range. I really like the guitar-work on this song and the keys add to the dark atmosphere of the song as well.
“Spell of Halloween” is off the plate next and doesn’t disappoint. I like how the song starts out at a mid-pace and then the guitars really kick it up before the vocals start. The keys play a bit more influence on this song to provide an eeriness to to the atmosphere. The guitar solo, while short, is also well executed – not too flashy but not too bland. This song is a warning to a child about the dangers of Halloween. It reminds me a bit of some songs by the US speed metal band Haven. Near the end of the song is a creepy spoken “Happy Halloween”, which I thought worked well and gave it a nice touch for an ending.
“Alone in the Dark” follows on our journey. The opening starts with a lone guitar playing a simple riff before the creepy spoken vocals start. He then goes back to the falsetto despondent voice – “I am here into the dark/My family left me alone/Nobody ever loved me/What am I, what have I done?” Then the guitars jump right in and put things into high gear. The vocalist mourns the fact that even his beloved has passed and is gone but he continues that his only hope and love is God – the meaning of life.
“Cemetery Porter” is one of the songs that could be a ringer for King Diamond song. It has the macabre feeling, the switching of vocals from a regular register to falsetto then to a rather creepy voice with ease.
“Rest in Peace, My Dear” is the shortest song on the album, just clocking in over a minute but that doesn’t mean it strayed away from the macabre, somber, funeral style of the album. It’s mainly instrumental with spoken words. The affects are really well done – not cheesy as it could easily be.
“Cemetery Night 2” is a bit of a let-down. The music doesn’t seem up to par with the rest of the album. Plus the lyrics are a bit over the top – “At midnight in the cemetery/I’ll be there with you/Digging your old grave/To you breathe again.” While I can see where the lyrics are coming from since the song is dedicated to his beloved bride who has died, it does seem a bit too much.
“Sleeping Little Baby” starts off with what sounds like a demon-possessed baby crying right before the band throws it into gear. Musically, it sounds like a Haven song (is this hinting at something, perhaps?). I like the tempo changes they do throughout the song. It varies things up a bit, which is always nice.
The next song “America” is a cover of a song by – who else – Haven. They pull off the song excellently. They make the song their own without straying too far from the original which really shows their respect for the band.
“Sleeping in Grave” is another song that starts off with a lone guitar playing a slow, simple riff. The keys and drums come in as the vocals lament his lost love – “I am lonely, walking through the graves/I am in shadows beholding the gravestones/I brought some flowers, red roses for you/I know you like them, I am crying for you.” Things get heavier during the chorus with a beefier guitar presence. The music goes back and forth for the verses and chorus through the song. I like how the heavy part closes out the song – definitely not expected.
“The Old Church” closes out the album. It sounds like it was taken from some horror movie with the sound effects used in it – very well produced.
Overall, this is great album. Dark Night has released a quality album in the vein of King Diamond/Merciful Fate and Haven. Save for one song, it’s a great musical masterpiece. If you’re into King Diamond, Merciful Fate or Haven, you’ll definitely want to check out Dark Night’s Cemetery Porter.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
