Hot on the heels of a U.S. jaunt through the States, Marduk releases a new EP in Iron Dawn that satisfies your expectant Marduk fix, but there seems to be a particular attention paid to fixed structure and melody here that isn’t all that evident on past, though still fine releases.

In the kept Marduk tradition, the blast beats and tremolo insanity is certainly prevalent, but the shift from black metal to a ‘thrashy’ sound, while possibly interchangeable to some, mesh very nicely to the trained ear. Mortuus does a pretty good job in making me miss Legion less and less with every passing effort (a feat I didn’t think possible), yet 2009’s Wormwood pretty much sealed the deal for me.

“Warschau II: Headhunter Halfmoon” shatters the senses accordingly with a brash, yet balanced semblance of past black metal glories as it pounds its way through the speakers with reckless abandon. The sporadic sounds of whistling bombs provide a sincere effect of war-like depravity while never falling into the pretentious areas of shtick. As opposed to ‘typical’ Marduk that pretty much relied on those aforementioned blast beats and hazy, warbled vocalization, Iron Dawn more or less saunters in a volatile and speedy fashion through these three tracks rather than catapult up and over in a predictable, yet entertaining design we’re used to. By the time we pass the mighty “Wacht am Rhein: Drumbeats of Death” and drop into the very Triptykon-sounding “Prochorovka: Blood and Sunflowers”, which is anything even remotely close to flowers and summery feelings, we’re in complete mental compliance. This song is down-tempo, disfiguring music that doesn’t really even scream Marduk but is a caustic, even sarcastic foray into the underbelly of doom metal. Granted, it’s not Warning-esque, but it is a perfect end to an otherwise brutally encompassing effort. It follows the line of forlornness perfectly.   

Dark Endless fans may not like or even understand this EP very much, but the hardcore fans like myself that have been there from the very beginning and stayed for the duration will appreciate the noticeable but acceptable change. Will it carry over into the next full-length? Who knows? I certainly wouldn’t mind if it did. As the bands grow the sound changes; so long as it doesn’t completely alter the foundation of the band’s initial style, why not delve into different areas of thought?

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Warschau II:
     Headhunter Halfmoon
2.  Wacht am Rhein:
     Drumbeats of Death
3.  Prochorovka:
     Blood and Sunflowers

Total playing time:  13:30

Release Date: May27, 2011
Label: Regain Records

Marduk - Iron Dawn EP

Reviewer: Chris

May 13, 2011