DIALITH "Extinction Six" exclusive track premiere and review

“Though it might be nice to imagine there once was a time when man lived in harmony with nature, it’s not clear that he ever really did.”

Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

Band: Dialith

Title: Extinction Six

Label: self-release

Country: USA

Release date: August 16, 2019

Format reviewed: (high rate) mp3 promo

Dialith formed in 2015 in Danbury, CT, and debuted on record in 2017, via a three tracks EP titled "Through Stone". On August 16th the band will launch their highly anticipated full-length, "Extinction Six". The material from their 2017 effort was re-recorded and re-arranged, with all three songs making their way along eight new tracks, into the forthcoming debut album.

Admittingly, I was immediately drawn into the lush sonic canvas, right from the album's intro, aptly titled "Emergence", due to its outstanding film score quality. This aforementioned film score quality accompanies the listener for the entire duration of the album, culminating with the album closer, the title track, in its all seventeen and a half minutes glory. It will take multiple listenings to absorb all of the musical elements and lyrical nuances, however, the album will make an impact on the listener from the get go.

Symphonic metal has now been around, in various forms, for the last 30 years. Dialith adds a progressive metal (technical) side, and expands further into the realm of epic power metal with this release. Significantly influenced by two of the greatest contemporary film score composers, Bear McCreary and Hans Zimmer, the brilliant electronic orchestrations at the core (of the album) feel organically symphonic, creating a plausible illusion of a large orchestra being present, flawlessly fused with the conventional electric instruments and drums, in this stunning sound production. Matter of fact, the symphonic overall sound extends to, and incorporates, the guitar and bass, additional synth passages (when not emulating the orchestral sound) and impeccable drumming, imparting additional layers of dramatism to the compositions. Another key element to this captivating effort are Krista Sion's vocals, making very good use of her soprano vocal range. Lyrically the album's common theme is Earth's ecological destruction, where a full range of reflective traits develop from personal perspectives and conflicting human emotions.

Exclusive track premiere: "Break The Chains":

Clear yet dense, melodic yet imposing, temperamental yet lyrical, "Extinction Six" is an epic opus, impeccably composed and performed. Intelligent and coherent, a poignant body of music, prompting its own metal sub-genre, strong contender to 2019 Album of the Year. Emotionally arousing. 10/10