Pale New Dawn - War Against Summer (Cover Artwork)
Staff Review

Pale New Dawn

War Against Summer (2004)

Roam The River


There isn't much more to say about the screaming phase that hasn't already been said. Yet another peg on the assembly line is Pale New Dawn, whose debut is painfully average, paint-by-numbers nü-emo with the standard fare of screams to give it that oh-so-contrasting feel, which they fail to do. The band comes flying out of the gates in the first few bars of "Deadly Grey," with absolutely scathing screams over a rather uptempo collaboration, giving the short album immediate promise, only to let it segue into angsty radio rock guitar echos paired with the usual nasally vocals. They seem to have a decent sense of melody at times, like the catchy chorus of "Dreams In Romance," but it doesn't change the fact that the lyrics are sophomoric at best. "Deadly Grey" blatantly proclaims "You're not here and I'm crying!" That line isn't meant to be parody, folks. There seems to be an underlying faith-based scheme floating around, but it doesn't stick out too much. The seasonal-themed title track speaks of deliverance coming, but its suit fits best as a double-edged sword for both the summer and any religious meaning. Their style overall is far from direct Christian rock, but with their beliefs and sound, I could see these guys getting a deal with Tooth & Nail problem-free. Fans of John Feldmann's work may want to take note. MP3s
Deadly Grey
Let Me Die, Live Your Life
Star