BEFORE THE DAWN hailing from Nastola, Finland were formed in 1999 by drummer Tuomas Saukkonen. He finished the project in 2013, but the band reformed in 2021. The melodic Death Metal and Gothic Metal outfit released four EPs and eight full-length albums so far. Album number nine is called "Cold Flare Eternal" and was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (AMORPHIS; ARCH ENEMY; DESTRUCTION) at Hansen Studios Denmark. It has a length of about 39 minutes, and it was released via German melodic Death Metal, Power and Heavy Metal specialists Reaper Entertainment. The album starts with the tension-building intro "Initium", providing already the main melody of "Fatal Design", which has a fast and frantic start, leading into a mid-tempo verse part. The guitar riffing is powerful, and the vocals are growls varying around the deeper end of the guttural range. For the choruses, the tempo and rhythm switch to a fast pace, with the drums driving the track forward. The vocals here cleans varying around the medium end of the vocal range, whereas the growls deliver backing vocal support. The choruses have plenty of melodic Metalcore vibes. There is a short break with a contributing lead guitar solo at its center.

"As Above, So Below" has a strong start with thunderous guitar riffs and catchy melodies, leading into a verse part at a measured tempo and a sluggish rhythm. The vocals are multi-faceted, starting with cleans, switching to deep-lying growls and then alternating with highly pitched growls. While the verse parts are heavy and powerful, the choruses are softer and focus on a melodic delivery. The clean vocals are higher pitched with some deep growls in the background. The chorus is almost anthemic. "Mercury Blood" is a mixture of fast verse parts and choruses at measured tempo. The verse parts driven by the tight guitar riffs and the deep to medium pitched growls. The choruses offer dark and epic melodies, mainly deep-lying growls, and include a few orchestral arrangements, which are in the background. "Stellar Effect" starts at a nice mid-tempo with dark and melancholic melodies, leading into a verse part at measured tempo with simple and direct guitar riffs and clean vocals covering most of the vocal range with many tonal shifts. The bridges and choruses are epic with the underlying orchestral arrangements. The vocals are growls. The track includes a break, which immediately starts with an extended lead guitar solo. The chorus melodies are catchy.

"Stellar Effect" has once again plenty of melodic Metalcore vibes. "Flame Eternal" starts with the keyboard melodies, which are accompanied by thunderous guitar riffs and strong basslines. All this transitions into a fast verse part with aggressive guitar riffs and the growls. The chorus parts switch to a measured tempo, supported by the clean vocals and prominent arrangements. The melodies are again epic with anthemic choruses. The break offers a very contributing lead guitar solo. "Stronghold" starts with devastating and aggressive guitar riffs and crushing basslines at mid-tempo, leading into the verse part. The melodies of the verse parts have a few oriental vibes. The choruses slow a bit down and deliver epic and catchy melodies, accompanied by plenty of double-bass drumming. The vocals are the growls using almost the entire guttural range. "Stronghold" is by far the most crushing track of the album, and it was released as video, with the YouTube link provided below. "Destination" has an epic start with powerful guitar riffs and prominent arrangements at a measured tempo. The verse part slows down further, leading into a quiet part support by the clean vocals. The bridge switches towards more heaviness with thunderous guitar riffs and the deep-lying growls, while the chorus parts deliver dark and melancholic melodies led by the clean vocals with growling backing support. After the first cycle of verse/bridge/chorus, there is a crushing break included with punishing riffs and the growls at fast pace.

"Shockwave" begins with an instrumental introduction driven by the guitars and strong basslines, leading into a fast verse part with devastating guitar riffs and crushing basslines at mid-tempo. There are a few tempo and rhythm switches including a quiet break. Leading into an epic chorus part with prominent orchestral arrangements. The vocals are growls, mainly around the deep end of the guttural range. Close to the end, there is a break with another cool lead guitar solo. The final track "Ad Infinitum" is introduced by a one-minute quiet guitar part, which transitions into a ballad-esque track with grim and melancholic melodies at a measured tempo. BEFORE THE DAWN deliver an album, which is challenging to summarize and to contextualize. "Cold Flare Eternal" is a mixture of a variety of genres and subgenres, including melodic Death Metal, Gothic influences, and a few melodic Metalcore twists. The highlight of the album are the vocals with an outstanding versatility and vocal range. This gives the album sound an extra dimension. The album is well produced. Fans who are ready to cross genre boundaries will love what they hear and certainly dig the new album of BEFORE THE DAWN.