An exciting aural adrenaline rush.

Back for their second full length release, following on from 2008's 'Falling From Grace and last year's 'Finally…' EP, metal female voices act A New Dawn show no signs of slowing up now that they're on a roll.

'Seven Faces Of Truth' – the title could easily refer to the band's seven members and each musician's version of veracity – is a complicated album lyrically but one which shows the young Dutch band aren't afraid to take chances and push boundaries; and in doing so they've created an exciting aural adrenaline rush. At the heart of the band's material are the pretty much classic metal riffs from guitarists Michiel Glas and Elbert de Hoog (check out the Maidenisms in the bridge in 'Contradiction'); so instead of restricting themselves to play to a 'femme metal formula' the band are free to produce songs with a range of diverse styles over which the twin singers Jamila Ifzaren and Alysia van Horick can weave their vocal tapestries. At the bottom end Peter Groen (bass) and Rik Bruineman (drums) keep things tight and tidy and Mike van den Heuvel, whose role is integral to the songs rather than just being an add-on, growls away like a cookie monster possessed.

The three cuts from 'Finally…' ('Desire', 'Masque Of The Red Death' and 'Final Verdict') have been re-recorded, and sound all the better for it too as the EP caught the band at a period of transition. In fact, 'Desire', with its vocal interplay, classic metal structure and snappy time change, is the one that's floating my boat at the moment, closely followed by 'Theatre Of Fears' with its acoustic opening and twists and turns to a hair-flailing conclusion, and the male-dominated 'The Madness Within', complete with string section intro. 

It's worth noting that there's no fillers on 'Seven Faces Of Truth' – it's an album that was written to be played live. At its launch party the band worked through all eleven tracks sequentially – which shows what an exciting body of work it is – before encoring with 'Darkness Falls' and'Veil Of Charity'(with former A New Dawn guitarist Willem Cremer) and 'Winter', all from their 'Falling From Grace' debut.

'Seven Faces Of Truth' will be available via www.ravenheartmusic.com, or www.soniccathedral.com in the States, or you can pick up a copy at www.anewdawnband.nl

John Tucker