Heavy, emotional and impressive
Few musical works have the ability to move listeners to tears — especially in a creative climate that often champions commercial appeal above all else. With songs that effortlessly grip the soul and draw out repressed emotions, Dayseeker’s fifth studio album could surely be counted among the few. Heavy emotionally and musically, Dark Sun is sure to strike a chord with many while possibly ushering pop fans into a newfound appreciation of heavier music. A cathartic effort inspired by the passing of vocalist Rory Rodriguez’s father, the album explores death, depression, mental health and mortality with sobering honesty and extraordinary power. The LA-based prog-metal band couldn’t be more on-time with such a message.
Pop and hip-hop-inspired production blended with aggressive guitars, drums, bass and synths combine for an incredibly interesting, powerful and accessible sound. Rodriguez’s vocals are astounding; the vocalist masterfully executes whisper-sung pop vocals, high belting and mid-range growl with a degree of skill remarkable for any genre. The album opens with a filtered kick-snare beat while pop-esque vocal chops deceptively make way for an explosive metal intro. From beginning to end, deep, dark and reverb-heavy mixes create the illusion of music playing within a never-ending void, turning listeners into untethered astronauts drifting helplessly into the unknown. With a Doom-like combination of synths and guitars, the dissonant intro of “Neon Grave” contributes to this subtle sense of cosmic dread. The anguish in Rodriguez’s voice is palpable as he sings, “Can heaven fall into my lonely Earth? / ‘Cause hell is when I know you won’t return.” A little lighter, the pop-heavy “Without Me” sounds like Charlie Puth with a metal twist and showcases Rodriguez’s incredible vocal range and versatility.
With a hint of an 80s ballad, “Homesick” is bright and reverberant, with chopped samples and a vocal hook reminiscent of a 2000s emo song. The poignant “Midnight Eternal” embodies grief and depression with striking realism. Drowned in a chasm of reverb, the music sounds isolated and shrouded in darkness alongside crushing lyrics like, “Your final breath I can’t accept / That you and I will both never speak again.” The title track provides a culmination of the album’s lyrical and musical themes and an apropos climax with several memorable songs on the other side. “Quicksand” and “Crying While Your Dancing” keep up the momentum just enough for emotional ballads “Paper Heart” and “Parallel” to cushion the fall. Finally, “Afterglow (Hazel’s Song)” provides a hard-hitting, beautiful and hopeful resolution.
Where many hardcore and alternative metal bands fail to connect with audiences, Dayseeker’s forward-thinking sound is artistic and innovative without sacrificing popular appeal. Minus the metal-isms, tracks like “Without Me”, “Homesick” and “Crying While You’re Dancing” could be mistaken for any top-10 pop hit — but why have that when you could have this? The fusion of pop and metal delivers Rodriguez’s somber lyrical message more effectively and genuinely than any other genre could.
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