Germany has never lacked bands willing to drag Extreme Metal back towards its nastier foundations. The country’s Thrash Metal scene helped establish a tradition of aggressive, uncompromising music through names such as Sodom, Destruction and Kreator, while the Black Metal underground that developed during the 1990s took that spirit in several darker directions. Not every band was interested in atmospheric keyboards, elaborate concepts or lengthy compositions about forests and forgotten kingdoms. Some preferred their metal fast, ugly and rooted in the old traditions, where a vicious riff could accomplish more than an entire orchestra of synthesizers.
Old emerged from Siegen in 2003, carrying that Black/Thrash Metal spirit into a period when the internet was already making underground music easier to discover. Their debut album, ‘Down with the Nails’, appeared in 2006, before the band entered a lengthy period away from the recording front. ‘Dawn of Darkness’, released by Unsilent Tombs Records in 2023, marked their return with seven tracks that draw on the familiar meeting point between Black Metal hostility and Thrash Metal aggression.
The title gives little reason to expect a sudden change of musical direction, and thankfully, Old does not arrive half empty like some bands. The guitar work provides the backbone, with sharp riffs and a driving rhythmic attack keeping the songs firmly grounded in Black/Thrash Metal territory. There is a roughness to the approach that suits the material, particularly for listeners who grew up with the older European Extreme Metal sound and still appreciate a band that understands the value of a good riff.
The Thrash Metal influence is important here. Rather than relying entirely on tremolo-picked melodies or the colder atmosphere associated with traditional Black Metal, Old incorporates a more direct and aggressive approach to its songwriting. The guitars carry much of the momentum, while the rhythm section gives the material its forward drive. It is music intended to be played loud, preferably without somebody interrupting every five minutes to explain the difference between first-wave and second-wave Black Metal.
After such a long gap between albums, ‘Dawn of Darkness’ also raises the question of how a band approaches its return. Old does not need to pretend that the intervening years never happened, nor does the album depend on nostalgia alone. Its musical foundations are clear, and the band works within those boundaries rather than chasing whatever happens to be fashionable. In a scene where styles can change faster than the artwork on a limited cassette edition, there is something refreshing about musicians knowing which traditions they want to carry forward.
The seven-track format keeps the album relatively focused, giving the material room to make its impression without stretching the listening experience unnecessarily. Old’s appeal lies in that directness, with Black Metal darkness and Thrash Metal aggression meeting in a sound that favours impact over decoration. This is not the place to look for elaborate orchestration or progressive detours. Anyone approaching the record with those expectations may have wandered into the wrong crypt.
‘Dawn of Darkness’ represents the return of a German underground band whose musical foundations remain firmly attached to the older traditions of Extreme Metal. Old understands the appeal of combining hostile Black Metal elements with the muscular attack of Thrash Metal. For listeners who prefer their Extreme Metal riff-driven, aggressive and free from unnecessary bullshit, this 2023 release is worth checking out.
