The Mist of Avalon - Dinya

The Swedish band, “The Mist of Avalon”, present their third full – length album entitled “Dinya”, under the wings of “Echozone” label.

Being part of the scene for 15 years has certainly contributed to their musical maturity. You cannot classify “Dinya” in one and only genre: it features goth musical elements, new wave, but indie pop characteristics too. Besides that, in some compositions they turn up the guitars much, with this resulting in them sounding like an industrial rock band. The album starts off with “Helpless”, a new wave song, but what really caught my attention was Aram’s voice, which resembles “A-HA” ’s Mortem ‘s vocals, something being prominent in the second track too, “Said it all”, an exceptional song, indeed. Onwards with “Sacrifice”: its upping tempo and the melancholic plus goth characteristics deluging the song, totally alternate the album‘s face. “Tell me” is an indie song projecting another side of the band with touches from Chameleons. In general terms, the rest of the songs are in the (quite wide) boundaries mentioned, except for “Negri”, which is, as far as regarding my opinion, the album ‘s best composition, as they entirely diverge their self established sound, creating an industrial rock opus adding eastern details; truly, a piece of art.

To sum “Dinya” up, it is a likable album, and, whatever one may say, this is what matters. The production is flawless, and the musical style is easily digestible by fans of a differentiated musical ethos; it is, in a way, a uniting sound. The only drawback spotted, is Aram’s voice, which, in most compositions – thankfully, not in all of them- is as if one is listening to Mortem Harket. This excluded, the album is exceptional.

Tracklist:
Helpless
Said it all
Tell me
Iwish
The lies
Stay with me
Waiting still
Devils den
Negri
Loosing yourself
Soul eater

8/10  Kostas Sotiriou