Review: “Near Death Experience” by Dawn Vally

Toronto Metalcore merchants Dawn Vally first appeared on the scene in 2013 with debut album “Just Pleaser“, their reputation for a fierce, high octane live show seeing them share stages with everyone from Manchester Death Metal brutes Ingested to Wednesday 13 and more recently The Bunny, The Bear. In that time “Diluted“, “Gardens” and the “That Sloppy Girl You Once Knew” have been their biggest tracks, landing a total of 196k of Spotify streams between them. Having survived the Wacken Metal Battle for Canada and Loud As Hell Open Air Festival this year they return with five fresh cuts in “Near Death Experience“, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Eli Heinman.

We’ve said it before and we’ll probably say it again real soon but when it comes to genre tags, most bands these days cover multiple sub-genres within one song. It’s not like back in the day when Patrick Bateman knew exactly what section he wanted to pick from at the video store to get his fix. Opening cut “Orange” could easily be described as Technical Deathcore, it’s DJent fuelled riffs, quirky tech leads and violent chugs the kind of thing that has been coming out of Australia with alarming regularity of late. A fearfully addictive track with some tasteful twists and turns including a weighty crushing downtempo finale and in truth its exactly what the doctor ordered. They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel and they don’t need to because what they have conjured is a damn fine time.

A Death Groove orientated track with ferocious vocals “Pray For Me” is a skull battering from start to finish, the tasteful solo over staccato riff breaks perfectly weighted as not to be too flamboyant. A tale of revenge, the screams of “until you face the dirt!” are fearfully addictive, so much so that you might find yourself screaming along with them on the very first spin. Nu-Metal groove orientated riffs and a blistering solo make “Kneecapper” good old school fun, the vocals once again the single heaviest element in its stratosphere. The funky little drop at the end a nostalgia trip back to the late 90’s that will crack a smile on the face of even the most hardened Metal heads.

A tale of surviving the death and destruction left in the wake of someone losing the plot and then coming back for revenge “Second Hand Smoke” is a powerhouse cut with a lyrical narrative that will resonate. Another off kilter solo is exactly what the edge of the seat was made for but it doesn’t necessarily need it because the pummelling rhythms are more than enough to drive the message home like a nail in coffin. “Graves” completes the collection of sub-three minute tunes in style, the savage vocals and rumbling bass inflicting maximum damage upon the ear drums. The groove that Dawn Vally have is infectious, their brutal stomp evolving into blast beats and technical leads between electric riff breaks, the demonic vocal passages reaching a whole new realm of existence. You may not need this… but once you’ve heard it, you’re going to want a whole lot more! [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Orange
2. Pray For Me
3. Kneecapper
4. Second Hand Smoke
5. Graves

“Near Death Experience” by Dawn Vally is out 31st July 2026 and is available over at bandcamp