‘No Peace · No Dawn’ by the Chilean Black Metal band Ad Finem Omnia is their first full-length album. The band was formed in 2020 by the duo Ricardo Araya and Pablo Vera, both ex-Totten Korps. It’s a dark, atmospheric release that blends raw 1990-ies Black Metal aggression with haunting melodies. The album was released on Purity Through Fire in 2022 and quickly gained attention in the Chilean underground Black Metal scene for its bleak yet powerful soundscapes.
A perfect mix of melody and old-school Black Metal can be heard on ‘No Peace · No Dawn’. Perfect. The vocals are grim but not too hard upfront nor too extreme, kinda “feral-bitter vocals” that linger like a foul stain. Mind you, Thrash and Death Metal influences can also be detected on this debut. Tremolo picking is very good executed, superb melancholic grinding melodies mingle with the powerful base and wild speed of the music. With its old-school influences, Ad Finem Omnia offers a raw and intense, rather European sound. The melodies that haunt ‘No Peace – No Dawn’ are quickly intoxicating while remaining abrasive and heavy, creating a continuous wave of rage. Rhythm section is more than adequate.
We get 9 solid and well-produced Black Metal tracks. Over 44 minutes in a more than reasonable album makes a good debut to me. Ad Finem Omnia aren’t re-inventing anything, they just smacked a very decent album in front of you. It’s raw, abrasive, and cold, yet with flashes of melody and groove that prevent it from being one-dimensional.
I do hope they add something extra to their next opus, though.
A good Chilean Black Metal to check out, kiddies. And believe me, it will grow on you.
