In the middle of the first half of the 90s, bands of Doom Death Metal as MY DYING BRIDE, PARADISE LOST, TIAMAT and ANATHEMA started to look for some new experiences with their music, so albums as “Turn Loose the Swans”, “Draconian Times”, “Wildhoney” and “Pentecost III” opened the gates to what some can call Gothic Metal (a controversial label for music which not everyone agrees with). But no one denies that such classics named above opened ways for new experiences into music, and bands as the Finnish trio DARK THE SUNS follows the same tendency, as heard on “Raven and the Nightsky”.

The band works on a midterm between Gothic Metal - due the elegant melodies focused on hooking melodies, contrasts between grunts, female vocals and whispers -, and the brutality of Death Metal (again due the use of grunted vocals). But such words are unable to speak about the richness of their musical work due the excellent arrangements heard on the album. But this album (their fifth one) depicts a band that still has a tremendous potential to be turned into music. It’s excellent, no one denies it, but imagine if they’re on such level by now what they can be when thy can use all their potential…

The great ‘but’ of the album lays on its sonority: to a band in such trend, a better and defined sound quality is required, but to allow the Death Metal elements, it became a bit rawer than the needed. It’s not a loss, and in reality it’s good, but again: to such kind of music, something into a way similar to “Wolfheart” or “Wildhoney” would be welcome. And as guest, the band brought Paavo Laapotti of BEFORE THE DAWN, DEFILED SERENITY and KUUSUO on the vocals of “Raven”.

On the side of the songs, the band expresses very good ideas on each one of them, especially on “Adamantine” (very good arrangements on the guitars and keyboards can be heard), “Phoenix” (the contrasts between whispers and grunts can be heard under an elegant instrumental sheath), “Kun Aallot Lallioihin Murtuu” (that presents a Doom Metal set of elements due the slow tempos, but with a deeper and introspective ambience), “Raven” (excellent rhythmic conductions of bass guitar and drums, and what excellent duet of vocals can be heard), “Swans of the Frozen Waters” (incredible melodies with Finnish Metal DNA can be heard contrasting with the aggressive arrangements), and “Under the Northern Lights”. In the end of all, the entire album is very good and easy to like.

After listening to “Raven and the Nightsky”, one can be sure that DARK THE SUNS is that kind of band that really to be heard by many fans. It’s really a very good experience.