Title: The Dust Of Years
Artist: Seventh Angel
Label: Bombworks Records
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 845121006469
Genre: Heavy Metal

British thrash legends Seventh Angel return with their first full length album in over 15 years. Seventh Angel stormed onto the scene in the late 80's and blessed the UK thrash circuit with several demos before being signed and bringing the world thrash classic "The Torment" and the thrash / doom meld of "Lament for the Weary". After multiple international tours and great album sales worldwide, the band hung it up at the end of 1992, and each of the members went their separate ways. Frontman and guitarist Ian Arkley has played in a number of bands since, the most well known being current Bombworks band My Silent Wake. Joining him are Simon Bibby and Mark Broomhead (Firefly, Detritus) and Tank on drums (Sukmunki). Rather than writing a rehash of older material like many bands who reunite tend to do, Seventh Angel has boldly tread new ground, delivering an album that still hearkens back to the classic Seventh Angel sound while drawing influences from each of the members current projects to create a brilliant soundscape that mixes thrash, doom, and a little death along with some killer haunting melodies. Ian's trademark snarls are at the forefront, but they are joined by clean vocals dominated by minor harmonics that give the music an even more sombre and dark sound. The guitar lines include crushing riffs, killer melodies, and well-placed solos, and the drums range from slow and gloomy to bombastic and in your face. The Dust of Years features 9 molten tracks clocking in at approximately an hour, and they are sure to whet any true metal fan's appetite. Current fans of Seventh Angel will be thrilled, and all fans of bands like Celtic Frost, Believer, Vengeance Rising, Candlemass, My Dying Bride, and thrash, doom, and death metal need to buy this album immediately. It may have taken over 15 years, but wait no longer to get this brilliant slab of metal! SELLING POINTS • First full-length album in over 15 years from classic band • 9 brand new songs • 8-panel foldout deluxe digipak packaging • Features Ian Arkley of My Silent Wake, Mark Broomhead and Simon Bibby of Firefly, and Tank of Sukmunki • For fans of Celtic Frost, Believer, Vengeance Rising, Candlemass, and My Dying Bride, and thrash, death, and doom metal • Reviews and advertising in major publications NO LIFE TIL METAL . COM REVIEW Seventh Angel - The Dust of Years (Bombworks) 2009 1. 'Chaos of Dreams' (5:08) 2. 'The Turning Tide' (5:00) 3. 'Exordium' (6:06) 4. 'Weep Not For Us' (6;10) 5. 'Abélard And Helois' (6:31) 6. 'In Ruins' (7:11) 7. 'Lamentations' (7:33) 8. 'The Raven Sky' (10:04) 9. 'Oswiecim' (5:28) Seventh's Angel's Ian Arkley has been busy over the years since the demise of the band in the 1990's. He's been a part of Australian death/doom metal band Paramaecium and has released several albums with his bands Ashen Mortality and My Silent Wake. In 2008, the British heavy metal band reunited with former members Ian Arkley, drummer Tank, guitarist Simon Bibby and bassist Mark Broomhead. Soon after the initial reunion it was announced that Seventh Angel would be recording a new CD, complete with cover artwork from Matt Vickerstaff of Darkwave Art. I received an advance copy of 'The Dust of Years' and after only one spin, immediately liked what I heard. My first thoughts were that the music seemed to be a natural continuation of where the band was heading with 'Lament for the Weary'. On that album, the band had moved away from the pure thrash metal of 'The Torment' and began experimenting with slower tempos. With 'The Dust of Years', Arkley's metal misfits mix together some upbeat heavy metal and whole lot of slower doom metal. The music contained herein sports heavy riffs, crunchy guitars, sweeping acoustic passages, and dynamic songwriting. Ian is a master of creating emotion with his words and music, and that is exactly what he does on 'The Dust of Years'. Fans of Arkley's doom material will find much to like about 'The Dust or Years'. That same dark, somber emotion present on the My Silent Wake releases is present on the music here as well. In fact, 'Exordium' is a slow, moody track that could very easily have fit onto any My Silent Wake album. Other tracks such as 'Chaos of Dreams' and 'The Turning Tide' sound much closer to the classic 'Lament for the Weary' sound, albeit with a more modern production. This time around the vocals are more aggressive as well. At times the vocals are almost death metal growled, much like on the My Silent Wake material. However, there is a mixture of shouted thrash vocals and some clean vocals as well. At times there is both clean and death growls at the same time which actually work quite well together. 'The Dark of Years' is a dark, emotional album that will surely appeal to fans of moody doom metal. As this was the direction Seventh Angel seemed headed in on 'Lament For the Weary', I see 'The Dust of Years' as the natural follow-up to that album. Both Seventh Angel and My Silent Wake fans alike should find something to like here.

Tracks:
1.1 Chaos of Dreams
1.2 The Turning Tide
1.3 Exordium
1.4 Weep Not for Us
1.5 Abelard and Heloise
1.6 In Ruins
1.7 Lamentations
1.8 The Raven Sky
1.9 Oswiecim