Here’s a review of Dawn Trader’s debut album entitled Castle. Yes, thirty or so years after their NWOBHM birth and a couple or three years or so after re-forming, Dawn Trader has cut an album. I picked it up directly from the band’s web site after discovering them for the first time – see the interview with vocalist Mick Preston in this post – and I have to say it’s a cracking effort not just for old NWOBHM farts like me, but any heavy/melodic rock fan will find plenty to enjoy about Castle.
The NWOBHM influence is always there though songs are well crafted with a touch of class and some quite stirring guitar work both in terms of riffs, harmonies and (in particular) lead work. Turn Down kicks things off very nicely with a nice hook which will have you nodding your head in appreciation along with the beat. The chorus will stay in your head too.
After that it’s all good stuff indeed. As I understand it the core of the tracks are updated versions of songs the band played whilst gigging and building their reputation back in the halcyon days and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and with offerings of this quality it’s hard to understand why an enterprising record company at the time didn’t give them a good amount of money to sign on the dotted line.
Roller, Angel, Homebreaker, take it and Running For Your Life, Flash in the Sky rock along really well. It’s not crunching “in yer face” stuff but more refined and well crafted than that. For me the guitar interplay is the highlight. Consistently excellent throughout in a sort of Wishbone Ash/Thin Lizzy type style though still unique. There’s more than enough here to keep you happy and get the air guitar out if that’s your bag.
The pub-rock style of Whiskey and Coke is good fun. After you’ve had a few yourself you’ll be singing along at the top of whatever voice you have left. One for after you’ve got home from the pub with your mates.
The closer, and title track, Castle is jaw-dropping in awesomeness. The CD liner notes mention that such was the popularity of the song “back in the day” with the fans that the band more or less “rationed” it. And now here it is. Glorious. A nice gentle intro and soft vocals build towards the crescendo you know is coming……………which is does then BAM! We’re away and off in to epic territory with the whole thing completed by frantic extended soloing which grows in intensity. Awesome is probably a word used too often these days though it’s certainly deserved here. Forgive a cliché – Castle is worth it and more for the title track alone.
Don’t let that detract from the rest of the album as it really is a cracker. So great that the spirit of NWOBHM lives on through bands like Dawn Trader coming back for another go. Top stuff boys – Castle is excellent.
Buy it directly from the band’s web site – http://www.dawntrader.net – and it’s only about eight quid. Don’t go to the pub tonight. Instead save the money two beers would have cost you and bag yourself a copy of Castle instead.
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