Catalan - that's a northeastern part of Spain, folks - band Noctisdark have been around since the end of last millennium, but 'The Roots of Dreamers' is their just third release. And even it contains three bonus tracks from the previous demo 'The Four Songs...' (2007), as well as two songs from it remade, I presume. So, there are only two new songs here.

Noctisdark do not sound very Spanish, but a lot like English doom/goth metal bands. 'Broken Dreams in Poppy Fields' has something very My Dying Bride-esque in it. Its storytelling nature and melancholic tone hark back to mid-1990's. The song transforms nicely during its 6-minute duration. 'The Waterpath' dives deeper into melancholy. Musicwise, it continues on the opener's path, and maybe also has some Rakoth and Summoning tendencies in it. I have to mention the song's guitar solo, which warms up my mind being Iron Maiden-ish through and through, but it bloody fades away as the songs ends! Also, as a composition, this song could have been a tad shorter, due to its somewhat repeating nature. A doomy heavy metal song 'The Touch of the Morning Sun' dances away in Arabic feeling, but does feature a guitar solo in English way (what else, huh?!). 'The Wind Brings Me Cries' ends the ratio of 'The Roots of Dreamers'. The song brings Scottish Highlands to my mind, but what else can happen when you hear some Scottish flute playing? Anyways, as a whole it sounds doom/goth metal from the British Isles.

The vocals are interesting, to say the least. Gruff ones are very typical, even though varying. The clean vocals are interesting, sounding like some folk music vocals. Soft yet powerfully characteristic voice with a big vibration in it. Definitely reminds of folk music. There are also some spoken, and whispered, passages, which bring in convenient variety. All around, a good, and above all, characteristic performance from the vocalist. The lyrics are good. The two first song's lyrics are adapted from poets, so their quality is no surprise. But it's surprising, how good the band's own lyrics are. Themes are war, death, winter and growing.

Generally, synthesizer piano heard in these songs is totally unnecessary and what's worse, also annoying for some reason. The songs could use some clipping here and there, too. It does not get painful to listen to, but shorter compositions would work better. Soundwise this is on average or so demo level, and would have needed more stronger and bombastic sound to work better. Grandiosity, that's what this needs. However, I like how different guitar sounds are used.

The bonus tracks are a bit softer stuff, reminding me of early On Thorns I Lay. Gruff vocals, heavy guitar sound, but still kind of cheap 'n' lovely synth sounds. The bonuses are worse in every aspect, even though they already had all the same elements in 2007 (okay, less synth nowadays, and I'd say get rid off the remaining ones too).

More than mildly entertaining and interesting, 'The Roots of Dreamers' keeps many doors open for Noctisdark. One for those to check out, who like British doom/goth from mid-1990's. If only the band could get a chance for better production...

Reviewed by Lane
09/02/2011 19:16