DYLATH-LEEN — Semeïon (review)

DYLATH-LEEN — Semeïon album cover Album · 2008 · Melodic Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
adg211288
Dylath-Leen’s music is often described as melodic death metal or atmospheric death metal. I think both can be accurate at times, since they are rooted in melodic death but often employ symphonies in their sound. 2008’s Semeïon is their second full-length effort.

Dylath-Leen is more unique in their sound in that they use two vocalists, both of which provide growling vocals. Often this would be pointless, but here it works pretty well because one growler is male (Igor Landorique) and the other female (Kathy Coupez), who also does some clean vocals in some songs. The man’s growl is a much deeper growl, while the girl’s is more of a shriek. Her clean vocals are also rather mesmerising, fitting this atmospheric tag they’re acquired.

The first two tracks are pretty much dominated by the female vocalist, and are both pretty strong pieces of music. They made a video for Adorning Wounds and it is a good song to promote them to new listeners, capturing many aspects of their sound. The one thing notably missing is the male vocalist. To contrast with this, the third track Contain features his growls only, making it come across as a much more brutal song. This is why I like Dylath-Leen, they have more variety for a death metal act, because this song doesn’t really come across as melodic death metal at all, more straight up death.

Contrasting with the previous song again, Leering Sky focuses on being atmospheric over brutality. I’m not very keen on Coupez’s early vocals on this one though, in fact it’s probably the only place in the album where she isn’t every bit as good as Landorique, who saves the song from being a total mess. Coupez returns to form on the next track, Frozen Reflect in a Broken Mirror, a lengthy seven and half minute piece. The song features good growls and clean vocals on her part and near the end there’s also some good acoustics.

One thing I do note about Dylath-Leen is the absence of guitar solos. They’re a good band but I should like to hear a few solos in their sound. Otherwise everything is actually really good. The guitar riffs provided by Coupez and Landorique are generally strong and not repetitive and the drumming is fitting for this style of music. Where keys are used they are more background so as not to dominate the metal instruments. This is definitely a death metal album and not something symphonic.

Best tracks;

Adorning Wounds So Ill-Fated Frozen Reflect in a Broken Mirror Scars as Victories In Memory Of Those Halcyon Days
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