15th May 2023

Review: “Tragedy Eternal” by Draconian Reign

Joining the swelling ranks of Seek & Strike Records, who include Exist Immortal, Upon A Burning Body and Orbit Culture to name but a few, Nottingham Dark Symphonic Deathcore merchants Draconian Reign are a band on the rise. Their roots run deeper than many will know with guitarists James Mackellar-Still and Cal Cruse-Morrell alongside vocalist James Hibberd all having been part of Nottingham Melodic Death Metal act Frozen Affliction between 2010 and 2014. Joining them are bassist Andy Crawford and drummer Kelsey James, also known as the rhythm section of Nottingham Metalcore merchants The Five Hundred as they officially became a growing concern in 2019. Fast forward to March 2022 and they dropped a debut EP in “Neromantic“, an affair which features a guest vocal appearance from Alan Grnja of Distant which paved the way for this sophomore effort…

…there is no doubt that Symphonic Deathcore is a genre which is a clear, present and immediate danger with pioneers in Carnifex and Lorna Shore leading lights and many following in a trail of death and destruction behind them. Whether or not it will ever reach critical mass remains to be seen, however it is no longer the niche that it once was with these bands playing large arenas thanks to the bravery of booking agents who would place them alongside Parkway Drive. The EP begins with “The Darkness Below“, the rich and darkly cinematic orchestration captivating and enthralling as it sets the tone for the first sixty seconds before bursting into flame with Hibberd’s demonic throat splitting vocals accompanied by James artillery shelling percussive battery. There are obvious comparisons to Cradle Of Filth with some of the shriller vocal tones and the Extreme Metal aggression before the staccato riff breaks hit with thunderous force, powerful enough to hold back the rising tide. The keys turn icy for “Before The Gates“, another spine juddering cut that rattles the bones with the gritty darkness of Christopher Nolan’s Batman and Hibberd sounding like the unhinged escapee from Arkham Asylum. The straight jacket has been tied too tight for too long and the shriller vocal tones become darker, deeper and blacker as the thoughts bleed out upon the lyric sheet with hints at the tale of Medusa. It’s finest moment however is the unexpectedly sinister solo that bursts forth from its chest like the Alien from John Hurt, igniting the claustrophobic atmosphere the band create in this sonic abrasion.

How do you improve upon two tracks that inject enough adrenaline to keep you awake longer than a hundred cans of high caffeine energy drink? That is a challenge that Draconian Reign laugh in the face of as they absolutely crush with the title track “Infernal Requiem“. A masterclass in how to write gripping material, this one raises the hairs on the back of the neck while begging the question of just when they will have Anabelle Iratni (Veile, ex-Cradle Of Filth) make a guest appearance with them on keys because that is probably the only thing the band could do to enhance the level of quality in this material. The weak have been decimated, the herd thinned and the bone shattering power of this one is immense, confirming Draconian Reign as an unstoppable force of darkness not to be trifled with. Ominously titled “The Funeral” brings the blood stained curtain down on this magnum opus of a record with an aching piano moment before the pounding drums tear their way through the ear drums once more. Within 90 seconds their is an incredible “Bleigh!” moment to end a verse in stunningly savage fashion, the swirling black clouds of bleak thoughts escaping from Hibberd’s throat only broken by epic solo that is worthy of note. Brutally layering up the vocals to monstrous effect with dark distortions that reverberate around the skull like a bullet ricochet is a master stroke, as is the final melancholically murky piano [9/10]

Track Listing