Dawn of a New Death

Album Review

Scapegoat may not appreciate this comparison, but Dawn of a New Death makes a decent case for them as the contemporary metal scene's equivalent of the Boston hair metal outfit Extreme. Yes, the "More Than Words" guys, but hear it out: before they became known mostly for an insipid power ballad, Extreme's cred was based on the way they mixed the then-current standards of metal with straight pop, glam rock, and even an unexpected kick of dance-rock. Similarly, Dawn of a New Death has plenty of catchy choruses and hooky guitar riffs, and a couple near-funky rhythm section parts. Unapologetic pop songs like "Possession" and nu metal grooves like "Jaded" sit comfortably nearby more standard metal like "Shut the F**k Up." And, it must be said, the acoustic "Where Were You" is in fact a "More Than Words"-style power ballad. Break out the stonewashed denim and the bandanas, folks, because late-'80s metal is back.