Dawn Of Solace - Affliction Vortex • GRIMM Gent

Dawn Of Solace – Affliction Vortex

13/02/2025

Formed in 2005 as Tuomas Saukkonen's creative outlet, Dawn Of Solace quickly established itself with their debut album, "The Darkness" (2006). Despite a hiatus due to legal complications the band's loyal fan base remained keeping the flame alive. 2019 marked a new beginning when finally all obstacles to continue the band were overcome followed by a new release "Waves" (2020) and "Flames Of Perdition" (2022) and now to be released their new album called "Affliction Vortex".

Not that long ago, September to be exact, Tuomas Saukkonen released ‘Draconian Darkness’ with his band called Wolfheart, and now he is already back with Dawn Of Solace. A little bit workaholic, but we love his work, at least I do. In the intro I already mentioned that the melancholic beast called Dawn Of Solace is back and let see how. The album opens with ‘Inception’ a short intro that bursts open into ‘Murder’ a melancholic piece of resistance. Which Mikko Heikkilä with his sweet voice lifts to higher melancholic level. Then we have ‘Fortess’ and it is as clear as day that it is Mikko who leads this album with his sweet voice but don’t forget the melancholic sound that Tuomas creates. Together they create something that is so melancholic but also diabolic. It’s an album you have to listen in the dark with your eyes closed and let the melancholic sound take you and experience this album, be a part of it. That’s the feeling you get when you’re listening to ‘Into The Light’. I think this is the most melancholic album they ever made, just listen to ‘Rival’ but it ain’t over, yet it gets better and better.

‘Invitation’ starts off with the sweet voice of Miko and then turns around with an awesome guitar riff that announces the grunts of Tuomas that fits perfectly in this song. The melancholic journey isn’t over when we enter ‘Dream’ that even sounds like a dream. With ‘Perennial’ we dive deeper into the trenches of ‘Affliction Vortex’ and it’s doomier and gloomy, and we end this album with the magical ‘Mother Earth’. It’s slow and dark but so magical, and it gets even better when Miko kicks in. Melancholic doom at its best.

Dawn Of Solace does it again, Tuomas and those he gathers around him are masterminds, and I can’t wait to hear more of his creations. Knowing him, I probably won’t have to wait long.