Marduk - Iron Dawn

Published June 26 2011

*=Staff's pick	Warschau 2: HeadhunterHalfmoon* Wacht Am Rhein: Drumbeats Of Death Prochorovka: Blood And Sunflowers

Genre	Black Metal	Daniel "Mortuus" Rostén	Vocals
Tracks	3	Morgan "Evil" Håkansson	Guitar
Runningtime	14 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Regain Records	Magnus "Devo" Andersson	Bass
Release	27 May 2011	Lars Broddesson	Drums
Country	Sweden	-	Keyboard
Producer	Marduk
Similar artists	Dark Funeral, 1349, Funeral Mist

As a relief for those of us waiting for the next Marduk album comes Iron Dawn - a short EP consisting of three World War II-themed songs.The two first songs, Headhunter Halfmoon and Drumbeats Of Death, are high-speed songs reminding me more of Panzer Division Marduk than of the newer releases Rom 5:12 and Wormwood. Regardless of how much I enjoythe wayMarduk has evolved in the last years, I can't help but love their straight-forward, war-themed songs.

Blood And Sunflowers takes a more ambient and suggestive path. Being the by far slowest song it might seem strange to put it in the end of the EP but it actually ties everything together quite well, leaving the listener feeling the hopelessness of the combat aftermath.

Samples of German music from the '40s, military aircraft, gunfire and sirens are small details that amplify the atmosphere of the songs and Mortuus' vocals are as tortured, terrific and terrifying as ever. One or two more songs definitely wouldn't have hurt, though, as fourteen minutes pass a little too fast.

The band has stated that Iron Dawn differs conceptually from the upcoming full-length album, whichprobably means that they won't be making a Panzer Division Marduk II. These songs are a great homage to Marduk's most iconic album, however.

See also review of: Frontschwein , Serpent Sermon , 5:12 , Plague Angel

Performance	Originality	Production	Vocals	Songwriting
8	7	7,5	9	7,5

Summary
7,5 chalices of 10 - Bjorn