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An interesting quandary here for young Spanish metallers Dawn of Tears, a band that seem to be more confused about who they are than a cross-dressing father-of-three. Hard at work on their as yet untitled sophomore effort, Dawn of Tears are keeping their profile in check with Dark Chamber Litanies, the stopgap between their next full-length and their 2007 debut, the apparently rather successful Descent. This being my first encounter with the spicy Spaniards, I'll admit that one passed me by, though it must have pushed the right inquisitive buttons across the continent, as it smartly landed them support slots with the likes of extreme metal gurus Dimmu Borgir, and distinguished thrashers Dew-Scented.

With a sound that is deftly dipping its toes in numerous wells of influence, what can be found on Dark Chamber Litanies and its five tracks of murky misery is a pretty original stab at Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal in the Dark Tranquillity/Withering Surface vein, brightened up by some seriously catchy trad metal licks and harmonies, all wrapped neatly in an ostentatious neo-classicism vaguely reminiscent of early – and I mean early – Children of Bodom and, to a lesser extent, Norther. There is a lot to digest here, and during the almost gothic run-around that is "Winds of Despair", you'd almost think Dawn of Tears had forgotten how to string a song together, there are so many changes. It's pretty intense stuff at times, too, with "As My Autumn Withers" evoking powerfully nocturnal imagery in its invasive atmospherics, and frenzied opener "Cadent Beating" running the gamut in terms of generic pigeonholing.

In all, Dark Chamber Litanies certainly shows promise from a band giving it all they've got, and with a production that simply screams Pro-tools, this is no brainer for lovers of the odd marvel that is melo-death.