A Distant Sun (ROI) | ‘Demo VI MMIX’

These veteran Dubliners have been plugging away for quite some time. Granted they’ve spent much of it in the shadows. Evolving from the ashes of Corrupted in the early 00’s, their melodic mix of black and death metals promised much. This latest demo isn’t much of an official realease - but nonetheless is packed in some amazing artwork that demands it be listened to.

Sadly though, and I genuinely hate to say it, the music doesn’t live up to the striking design work.

Much of it sounds like one of Ireland’s other long term bands in the same ballpark. To illustrate: one of the biggest criticisms I’d level (and have heard levelled) at, say, Geasa in recent years is that they sound tired. Trudging. Bringing little new to an old and worn style. It’s a little disappointing that A Distant Sun have a sound that’s reasonably similar.

‘Mourning The Idol’, the cd’s opener, thumps along in mid pace, enlivened only by a gallop at the end. To be fair, there’s a bit of Primordial influence in there with some decent chordal selections. The song itself though is basic, with predictable vocals and and boring tread. It’s followed up by ‘Silhouettes Of Golden Times’, which to my ear sounds as though it’s the same song played over once again with a variation somewhere that’s hard to even detect. Tonally, structurally, it’s just a bit too similar.

There’s a similarity here to the glut of melodic black / death metal that came in the wake of BMs second wave. It was boring then, disappointly A Distant Sun aren’t really moving it forward any. Hecate Enthroned are an audible influence, and fans of the aforementioned Geasa may yet enjoy it. Only ‘The Burden Of Silence’, with its increased speed and variety really stands out.

Kicking Irish acts is a tough business, but if the band are determined to continue in this particular style, it’s hard to see a future. It just sounds old, done and slightly archaic. Perhaps some clean sung vocals would have lifted it, and a few harmonies could well do just that. It needs something more. Good luck to the guys involved, but sadly this one just sounds too wearied to really make the break.

-Ciaran Tracey ::: 16/09/09