Lost to the Living reviews.

[jesse]

Reviews are starting to come in on the new album, here's a couple.

From EXCLAIM Magazine:

http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/aggre...aspx?csid1=123

Foreboding and reassuring, complex without unnecessary complication, Lost to the Living is easily recognisable as Daylight Dies, building on the dark and depressive eloquence established on two earlier albums and a long out-of-print EP. Lost to the Living also broadens the band’s vocabulary, layering and interweaving an even larger accumulation of experience and inspiration against a gloomy metal base. Barre Gambling’s lead guitar emerges as the album’s dominant voice, despite the gruff reverberation of Nathan Ellis’s growls (and the clean vocal tones of bassist Egan O’Rourke throughout two tracks). But as you’d expect from Daylight Dies, even their six-string wizardry is held in check, a counterpoint to a rhythm section that always hints at power restrained, subdued but ever-ready violence. The space created by this restraint is filled with potential, pervading even the visual imagery containing such spacious sounds. The record is slow, contemplative but vibrant with energy. Each song contrasts comfortable melodies against dissonant harmonies, smooth textures (including string and woodwind accompaniment) against edgy distortion, constantly moving toward a climax that never erupts. Deceptively heavy, Lost to the Living abounds in uncertainties, the self-assuredness of Daylight Dies never producing any easy answers.

Did you feel pressured to follow-up on Dismantling Devotion’s success?
Drummer Jesse Haff: We worked intensely and steadily on Lost to the Living after touring but we never felt rushed. Thankfully we didn’t have the problems we had between No Reply and Dismantling Devotion, such as member and label changes [adding Ellis and second guitarist Charlie Shackelford, switching from Relapse to Candlelight]. We’re all proud of Dismantling but we felt confident we could raise the bar and continue to push our music where we wanted. We’re very happy with the result.

“The Morning Light” exemplifies the album’s character. It also has a complementary stripped-down visual aesthetic. What’s the relationship?
“Less is more” is a mantra we always strive for and “The Morning Light” achieves that. It has an organic character and is probably one of the more simple songs on the album. Every note and chord change is important.

And the artwork?
I wanted something that stood out. Instead of the grunge or elaborate ornate look that many in metal are using now, we went the opposite direction. Layout is important to me, so each image corresponds to the song and the album as a whole. You can often say more with less. (Candlelight)

From Prefix Magazine:

http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/day...-living/19361/

When last we met Daylight Dies, on its majestically doleful second album, Dismantling Devotion (2006), the quintet was busy acing its final exam at the International School of Gothic Doom Metal. So spot-on European was the despair in the band’s pounding mope etudes that Daylight Dies came off more like an idealized version of mid-'90s Katatonia or Anathema than a group of crafty North Carolinians with its own take on the genre. Lost to the Living extrapolates the strengths of Dismantling and one-ups it in every way, establishing Daylight Dies as one of the most sophisticated, singular doom purveyors west of the Thames.

With mid-paced tempos and riffs like engraved diamonds, Daylight Dies flawlessly hits the extremes of power and beauty typical of gothic doom, and achieves a magnificent balance between the two poles -- “Cathedral” and “A Subtle Violence” are stuffed with shades-drawn melody and richly textured electro-acoustic arrangements, yet there’s always an unsettling chord change or jagged slag heap of guitar to poison the prettiness just so. Nathan Ellis’s death growl bleeds sadness, his clean singing on “Woke Up Lost” and “Last Alone” even more so.

Lost to the Living is built on a detailed latticework of electricity and emotion that feels more complex with each spin. There’s something larger going on here though, a dying rose grandeur that envelops the album in ivy and mist. This is music to get lost in, heavy metal that expands and explodes the experience of despair to encompass both outward aggression and intense sorrow.

It says a lot about Daylight Dies that it can turn the simple, weeping instrumental “And A Slow Surrender” into the emotional high point of the album. The band is accessing realms of emotional and musical depth that perhaps only Opeth has reached before it. Let’s see what happens next.

[Katatonic89]

Nice to see that you are getting good reviews! When I first listend to the album I thought it was quite boring but eventually it became better (yes I downloaded it but I will buy it). I would probably give the album a 8/10.

[Metalrob4662]

Originally Posted by Katatonic89

Nice to see that you are getting good reviews! When I first listend to the album I thought it was quite boring but eventually it became better (yes I downloaded it but I will buy it). I would probably give the album a 8/10.

Same for me ...I like the first album a little more, but still this is not a bad album!

[jesse]

From Scratch The Surface Zine:

http://scratchthesurface-webzine.blo...to-living.html

North American bands exploring desolate and depressive sonorities like Doom Metal are scarce and only appear on very sparse occasions. The musical genre is recognisably a style of music embraced by European acts, mostly from Scandinavia, even though the contribute of some US groups like Winter and Morgion has been vital for the evolution of the genre. Daylight Dies for what already had produced in the past and offers on their third full length album “Lost to the Living” deserves to see its name enclosed in this short list. Mature in its approach to the conjunction of bleak melodies with dissonant heaviness, complex without however being too much technical, diverse and replete with rich textures, “Lost to the Living” is simply a phenomenal work capable of rivalling with the best moments Opeth and Anathema have offered so far. These two names do not get mentioned by chance. Although Daylight Dies possess their own and recognizable sound, they represent the closest reference points to musically situate “Lost to the Living”.

Just like the Swedes Opeth and the Brits Anathema, the quintet employ the use of acoustic guitars to enrich the themes with a melancholic and emotional atmosphere, gaining some progressive characteristics in the process, but not going as far as Opeth does obviously. “Wake Up Lost” for example, is a song that brings to memory the gentler compositions of Mikael Akerfelt, a slow paced and melancholic piece that offers various acoustic interludes. The clean singing of bass player Egan O'Rourke also increases the similarities between the two, even if it strangely evokes the more contemplative moments of Layne Staley.

“Last Alone”, another theme sung entirely by O'Rourke is quite atmospheric, almost Pink Floydian in style that somehow invokes the spirit of Anathema around the “Judgement” days.

The calmer and orchestrated passages are a constant and brilliantly counterbalance the more aggressive and dissonant moments offered by the excellent and skilful work of guitarists Barre Gambling and Charley Chackelford. The lead guitars are also a dominant characteristic of this album as it happens in songs like “A Portrait in White”, “A Subtle Violence” and “Descending”. Without weak points, “Lost to the Living” is an album that grabs our attention from the very beginning to the end, without ever feeling tempted to press the skip forward button. Excellent work! (8/10)

[jesse]

Revolver Magazine:

4 out of 5 stars

Scandinavia may have the patent on epic doom metal, but this masterful follow-up of 2006's Dismantling Devotion proves that these North Carolina natives have a strong claim to stake. Opting for melancholic moodscapes over sheer mayhem, they lure you into their dark lair with droning guitar hooks, hypnotic death grooves, and a perfectly produced wall of sound. Nathan Ellis' soul-crushing growls are sometimes replaced by bassist Egan O'Rourke's clean vocals, but even then, the mood is always bleak. Norseland may be an ocean away, but it's clear some in the mid-Atlantic are sitting under the same depressing storm clouds that darken the North Sea.

[metal-mike]

great to see its getting good reviews ill be getting my copy tonight cant wait to hear the new stuff.got the other 2 cds and they kickass and i know this one will too.

[Ozzloaf]

The new album is REALLY fantastic. You reach emotional depths that very few bands can achieve. It's a better album than Dismantling Devotion imo.
It's a bit of a departure from the last album which I'm happy for because the first two albums are very similar. I don't want you guys ending up being bad cover bands of yourself.

[jesse]

MetalReview.com:
http://www.metalreview.com/4455/Dayl...he-Living.aspx

Some six years ago, the release of Daylight Dies' debut album, No Reply, stirred much ado over the band's stylistic approach --more so than was made of the actual tunes that comprised the disc. This was hardly a criminal act, as the hype surrounding the viability of an American melodic death/doom act made for spicier copy than the discussion of the largely forgettable fare that was found on that album. Regardless, the band managed to leave an impression on a country that had yet to see Novembers Doom crash through their personal glass ceiling, and left a curious community lying in wait as to whether we could hang with the Brits and the Finns in the realm of creepy-dead sobriety.

And in wait we would lie...for four years. This great Carolinan (lack of) hope took their sweet-ass time before dropping 2006's Dismantling Devotion, but the wait proved worthwhile, as the band took a drastic leap in both quality and growth. Emerging wisened, weathered, and fortified with melodic chops that sliced with newfound impact, songs like "All We Had" and "Solitary Refinement" showcased the realization of their depressive potential. A scant two years later, after building their crushing live show around the meatiness of Dismantling's most immediate thumpers, Lost to the Living was expected to push their death metal aspect further to the forefront.

Expectations be damned. The band has taken a calculated turn towards even more maturation and depth, crafting an album that is cerebral, yet heartfelt; elegant, but visceral.

Daylight Dies, dare I say, have out-Opethed Opeth with this one. Not in structure, mind you-- Lost to the Living ambles on a straighter path than Akerfeldt's prog-pie crankwalks. But in mood, it trumps. The sound is progressive in its storytelling, a richly-layered journey from depths of mind to caverns of soul. Adhering to their textbook for the first few tracks --a stout and full-bodied deathroar doom with acute gothic sensibilites-- they improve upon their formula, but offer no surprises. 'Tis until the disc-splitting instrumental "And A Slow Surrender" splits a fork in the road and takes the album down a beautiful, beautiful path. The lead guitars on this track are tear-jerking, and indirectly function as a microcosm for the duality that this band projects for the remainder of the record. Contuinally toeing the line between a sound of truimph and a cry of anguish, the band spirals into sorrow on the emotive "Woke Up Lost", grinds into open wounds with the pounding grit of "The Morning Light" (which is sure to be a staple of their vaunted live act), and splays itself open to the strains of "At A Loss". That somber reflection --built upon a gloriously textured bass line-- is the undisputed highlight of this tome, Nathan Ellis straying from his knifetoothed roar long enough to ply his fantastic cleans, which are made all the more special by their sparse utilization. A chilling, chilling animal, this is.

All told? This is the best Daylight Dies album to date, an exponential improvement upon their foundation, and a dramatic strengthening of their identity. Outwardly classy, inwardly raw, Lost to the Living is an emotionally draining tour-de-force that commands unchallenged attention; Daylight Dies mold an experience, a trancedental grip that eclipses any-and-all trappings their subgenre harbors.

Pure.

MetalFantatix.com:
http://www.metalfanatix.com/album/daylightdies.html

Only two years have passed and it seems like an eternity since “Dismantling Devotion” graced us. But alas, Daylight Dies' 3rd opus awaits! "Lost To The Living" presents nine new pieces of material and clocks in at around fifty minutes. This is probably their most intelligently diverse album so far. The metallic layers are thick with melancholy and many of the choruses are quite catchy. It's like a band that once excelled under a particular genre have now expanded into much deeper foundations. Sort of a catch 22, but completely unmistakable nonetheless. Any kind of style you want to throw in their direction would never truly define them. Doom, death, progressive or just dark? Daylight Dies' 3rd release contains all of this and more. One of the best tracks I have heard them do is "At A Loss" (track 5), which is triumphant and depressing all at once. The main riffing could almost be mid-paced black metal, while the chorus is some of the most mournful doom I have heard. "Woke Up Lost" is another nice track with acoustic guitar & clean vocals. Very good vocals that could only be compared with Jonas Renske (Katatonia). Ditto on "Last Alone." Speaking of Katatonia, the words of "Brave Murder Day" could easily be muttered on "A Subtle Violence," which also contains some very intricate drumming. Make no mistake, though, this is a very personified sound. Much more to the point... original. The whole album thrives on an atmosphere that keeps every song flowing, so to speak. Beautiful is a nice term for this album as well. “Lost To The Living” will set a new standard in melancholic metal. But more blatantly still, is that Daylight Dies should be right at the top of the metal throne alongside few others!!! Masterpiece!!!!!

[MadTinus]

Aardschok magazine (Netherlands)

Translation from Dutch:
"Daylight Dies from North Carolina has managed to develop strongly over the years. Even though “Dismantling Devotion” was already a melancholic masterpiece of Doom Metal, on “Lost to the Living” the guys appear to have grown even more. That shows mostly in the diversity of the album. Acoustic and electric guitars complement eachother seamlessly on “Lost to the Living” and aggressive outbursts end in moments of goose bumps without noticing. Also the vocals are interesting. Bass guitarist Egan O’Rourke took care of the vocals in 2 songs (“Woke up Lost” and “Last Alone”). The result is astounding, because O’Rourke appears to possess a remarkable clean singing voice. The other songs were provided with convincing growls by Nathan Ellis. Because of the variation in the stirring songs, Daylight Dies sometimes reminds me of Opeth. I expect that fans of this band will most certainly like this album, but also fans of Anathema should be able to appreciate “Lost to the Living”. Be sure to give this album some serious listens."
86/100