Album/EP

Daybreak - The Sound (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Sep 7, 2024

7 min read

Daybreak – The Sound
Released: September 6, 2024

Line Up:

Shaun Cox // Vocals
Blake Pearce // Guitar
Liam Webster // Bass
Sam Warren // Drums

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There is something in the water over in Perth and whatever fountain of metalcore mayhem that is flowing – Daybreak have been swimming in it. Working for years on their signature sound and finding a way to stand out from their many talented peers- the lads from the West have hit us with their album The Sound.

And man, what a sound it is.

Starting strong with the gritty, digitised masterpiece ‘Western Sound’, it is the kind of track that would be right at home on a reinvigorated Terminator movie soundtrack, especially in a scene with a lot of ass-kicking. It gives a solid variety in the way sound is expressed but keeps it simple in momentum. The track is flexing- like a ‘we are here, this is how we do metalcore over here in Western Australia’ proclamation. Dipping into the occasional speed runs, it has moments of just sheer heaviness.

This heaviness makes an epic precursor to the following track, ‘Pure Violence’. The hard-hitting intro seeps into a sultry, drum-driven verse. It has a solid hardcore steeze ran through a nu-metalcore filter. Leaning into drum and bass samples beefs it up even more- so if you love a good rhythm section, then this is the one. Juxtaposing brilliantly is the prog-core ‘Moon’, one of the feature singles from this album.

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‘Moon’ has a whimsical, atmospheric feel. It is full-bodied, with an almost sensual opening groove that wraps you around its finger and drags you into aggressive verses. Again, the drumming hits you in a whole different way, acting as a punch in the face as you are immersed in a soft and hypnotic soundscape. That opening groove returns as the chorus and appears sporadically. The breakdown is short, but sweet, letting the song fade.

On a few listens to this album, I found myself getting lost in the soundscapes- not in a negative way, but the second ‘No One’s Coming’ kicks in, I am immediately brought back into reality. Combining EDM and metal is not a new concept, but to do it masterfully is a talent. Daybreak have done it. Highlighting how the hardness of trance and D&B resemble the heaviness of metal, they have fused it into their own unique brand of digital distortion.

This trend continues throughout the album. I mentioned Terminator at the start, but now we are heading into The Matrix and/or Blade territory. ‘The Damage’ would fit right in as the soundtrack to a fight scene in a rave. It is cinematic. Anthemic. Making you bang your head with more rhythm and groove than you may have ever before.

We are brought back from the precipice of falling headfirst into an EDM album by ‘Dance In My Grave’. There is an element of nu-metal, ‘00’s style and sound entrenched in this offering, but at the same time, it sounds so fresh and modern. It keeps you guessing where it is going next. Oh boy, nobody could prepare me for ‘Headshot’.

There is a definite grime influence going on here, but I dig it so much. That guitar riff just is an earworm dancing across a beat that you cannot ignore. Imagine if you took bands like Enter Shikari, Crossfaith and on a stretch, Electric Callboy but gave them a more gritty and darker edge. That’s what ‘Headshot’ feels for me. It is the sonic representation of an alley that has both the back entrances to a club and a metal dive bar.

Its sudden finish makes the introduction to ‘Shapeshifter’ feel a little jarring. The nature sounds are a welcome softness to the ear, but it does not last long. As the song title suggests, it shifts back into the metalcore realm. It certainly needs more than one listen to fully appreciate the complexity of it. From massive waves of sound to moments of pause and reflection. The breakdown is something else too- a real kick you in the teeth kind of aggression.

‘Cache’ gives a similar vibe to ‘Moon’. It is haunting, slower and borders into ballad territory. A gates of the cemetery creaking kind of guitar sound, snaking over the consistent thud of the drums makes the ultimate backdrop for the huskier, side of the vocals. That is before it builds up into a crescendo of pain and noise. Shaun Cox gives us a gut-wrenching vocal delivery, as the rest of the band unleashes behind, taking us right into the most brutal track on the album- ‘The Belly of the Beast’.

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As the band have played with a range of influences, this is where drummer Sam Warren gets to flex his deathcore drumming skills. The final song on the album leaves it all on the floor. Giving moments to two-step, bang your head and just throw down- this one doesn’t just complete the wild ride you’ve been on listening to this album- but it will also go ridiculously off live. The final breakdown is NASTY. It is finite. It is the conclusion you can be satisfied with.

This is my first foray into the music of Daybreak and all I can express is regret that I had not started to listen to this band sooner. There is experimentation through desire and not just for the sake of it. It is violent. It is heavy but it is soaked in groove. The only complaint I have is there are moments when the tracks shift a little too fast. I would love to marinate in the soundscapes a little more, especially with songs like ‘Shapeshifter’ and ‘Moon’. ‘Cache’ gave that to us and the songs on the album are indeed short enough to allow a little more room.

Call me greedy, I just want more of the beauty that has already been created by Daybreak with this incredible debut of an album.