Draconian - A Rose for the Apocalypse (album chronic)

Band: Draconian
Years Active: 1994 - present (17 years)
Genre: MeloDeath/Black Metal (early), Death/Doom, Gothic metal (later)
Label: Napalm Records
Origin: Sweden
Current Line-Up: Johan Ericson (backing vocals, lead guitar), Anders Jacobson (vocals), Jerry Torstensson (drums), Lisa Johansson (vocals), Daniel Arvidsson (rhythm guitar), Fredrik Johansson (bass)

Even today the words of Goethe sometimes strike my memory, "Classic remains classic" and when we speak about Draconian we don't talk about a band that is eager to venture into experimental type of metal or into a newly born current or into an avant-garde metal style. Draconian is the type of band that makes us remember that the pioneers of gothic metal were/are Tristania and Theatre of Tragedy (RIP) and the pioneers of doom/death metal were/are My Dying Bride, Opeth, Katatonia, Anathema or Paradise Lost.

Of course, the list of bands that pioneered this genre can go on forever, but the ones I mentioned above have a distinctive trait, they influenced the genre and represent a model worth to follow for the bands that want to venture into these two musical kinds.

Sadly, most of the bands that I mentioned above, did not stay true to their root and eventually some of them went to experiment other genres as well (Anathema, Opeth or Katatonia are just some examples). Others remained true to their roots, and more of it they do not want to experiment something that do not represent them, such is the case of My Dying Bride.

Draconian, though they went through some brief changes, those changes did not influence the sound specific of this band. By listening to their songs from their early demos such as "Shades of a Lost Moon" or "In Glorious Victory", you can feel a similar sound trait to their later works such as "The Burning Halo" or "Turn Seasons Within".

One thing is for sure, Draconian does not like to compromise. They do not want to explore the commercial line of music nor do they want to experiment symphonic influences, they just want to remain good at what they sing. A Rose for the Apocalypse is just another proof of their determination to remain a gothic doom metal band.

Like any other album, to promote it, they firstly release a video for the second track of this album entitled "The Last Hour of the Ancient Sunlight". Not only that the song encourages the listener to meditate, the video is very expressive in what it wants to send. Both the song and the video depict the nature of humans in contrast with the earth, the harmony that we did not maintain with the earth. "We drain the blood of earth/ And fall in love with death / With life itself as an excuse" expresses a deep feeling of hatred towards mankind while lamenting the earth for the state it reached.

Specific for these genres is the combination between raw, brutal voices (I like to call them grunt or growl) performed by Anders and the clean vocals performed by Lisa. The first track of this album entitled "The Drowning Age" begins like any other intro, it is more psychedelic than the second title which shares a more melancholic trait. "The drowning age no longer waits, born through hollow age / Feel the wind, behold the scourge / Come closer and watch it rise" illustrates a world in a sorrowful state, driven to this state by mankind blinded by their own lust and desire.

The third track of the album entitled "End of the Rope" feature a more gothic type of sound and another concept. "All the misery you create and all the pain you shape... / You are not to blame my friend / Somebody filled your empty page" signifies fate, controlled by an unknown force. It represents a sort of rebellion, rebellion against God, rebellion against his own will and a wish for freedom that will end immediately as "The sun will set on the blindfolded". This song unlike the other two mentioned above is way more expressive, its like it carries all the pain of humanity in it, wishing for everything to end faster.

Draconian fortunately, is not a band that reached climax yet. While all their songs have the same feeling and have the same thing that attracts your attention, they did not produce anything that could really be claimed as their best work up to date, which is a relief in my opinion, meaning that we have not seen the last of them, not yet.

A Rose for the Apocalypse is an album that is worth listening. Those that like very expressive song with a nice mixture of words and concepts will find in this album a very delighting experience.

A Rose for the Apocalypse is not their best album in my opinion, but is one of their best albums. Nonetheless, it is an album worth buying/listening, I guarantee that it won't disappoint. I'll give it an 8.5/10 with a hope that a better, and more earlier album will be released in the future.

 Track Listing:

1.	"The Drowning Age"	7:18
2.	"The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight"	5:26
3.	"End of the Rope"	6:34
4.	"Elysian Night"	7:52
5.	"Deadlight"	6:32
6.	"Dead World Assembly"	5:52
7.	"A Phantom Dissonance"	5:39
8.	"The Quiet Storm"	6:37
9.	"The Death of Hours"	7:48
10.	"Wall of Sighs (Bonus Track)"	5:14