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Without anything new to say, Swedish young 'uns Dawn Of Silence still managed to impress with their label debut from 2006, the wailing Moment Of Weakness, an album that should have brought the band much deserved recognition (particularly in the wake of all the so called 'new wave of trad metal' facsimiles that would crop up a couple of years later), yet sadly left them behind.

Boasting a rich, melodious sound reminiscent of 80s Iron Maiden, Elegies-era Machine Men and Edguy when they wear their heavy-hats, Dawn Of Silence present twelve rocking tunes of mid-paced Power Metal with just enough swagger and confidence to make it sound like they've been at it for years. There are a lot of memorable moments here, mostly in the refrains, which are all written with superlative attention to the classic metal mentality. Vocally, guitarist and band leader Patrik Johansson is a capable Tobias Sammet-esque crooner who gives it his all without sounding strained or bored, and as an axeman he can certainly rip a good lead or two. The rest of the band put on a good show; although most of their tricks are so obvious their origins don't need revealing.

The production is very well rendered, being clear but also a little unvarnished, and with songs such as the thorny "Long Time Dead" and the excellent opener "Hands of Fate" (really, anyone with a fondness for metal played like it was back in '84 needs to hear this sumbitch), Dawn Of Silence prove they have what it takes to go head to head with the genre leaders. However, songs like "Fire & Ice" do bare a certain similarity to Steelwing, Enforcer and the like, so those looking for something old school but without that annoying 'retro' feel, be warned.