Formed in 2017 by drummer Ian Moir, melodic death metal act Dark Divinity have been through quite a lot in the last five years, as not only have they supported the likes of At The Gates, The Haunted, The Black Dahlia Murder and Psycroptic but have already released an EP, some singles and have of course been running the gamut of line-up changes. The most recent of these has seen the departure of singer Jolene Tempest and the return to a male singer in Jesse Wheeler, with the line-up completed by guitarist/bassist Paul Stewart and guitarist Jiji Aligno. To celebrate they have poured themselves into the studio and their debut album, Unholy Rapture is coming out in September, and ahead of that we have the first single.

This is a great introduction to the band, with the complex arrangement one would expect from a song from this genre, yet there are lots of tricks and nuances within it which really make it stand out. If Ian approaches every song like this, he must be a sweaty mess by the end as he is working like a demonic octopus throughout, hitting and kicking everything in sight and creating a driving platform for everyone to work on. However, about 30 seconds from the end he basically stops, with just a few delicate cymbal hits here and there, which takes the song in a very different direction, showing again it is not only what is played but what is not played which makes a difference. The guitars are also interesting, as while for the most part they are locked in with the complex runs and interplay one expects, there are also moments when they are playing far more slowly, allowing the bass and drums to pummel away while they have a more black metal approach. Even the solo is less of a shred than normal, and these different sounds and styles are interplayed and move in and out to create a song which has great depth.

Then at the front there is Jesse, who also switches between guttural growls and vocal attacks which are more in your face and full of power, so one always has the impression he is in total control at all times. The result is a single which is well worth investigating by metalheads, and I for one am certainly looking forward to the album.

Rating: 8/10

Links:
https://darkdivinity.co.nz/