Rochester, NY-based Deathwave band Fourth Dominion is set to release their long-awaited sophomore studio album, “Diana’s Day”.
The follow-up to 2017’s “Wings of a Dying Crow” expands upon the band’s unique fusion of NWOBHM, goth/post-punk, and alt-punk.
“Diana’s Day” confronts themes of queerness, feminine magick, and existentialism, and is already drawing critical acclaim months ahead of the album’s release.
Fiadh Productions will release “Diana’s Day” on CD, cassette, vinyl, and digital formats on August 1st, 2024.
Pre-orders are coming soon. Stream previously released Fourth Dominion music on Spotify and Apple Music.
Tracklist:
1. Bloodstains
2. Lilim
3. Burn the Prisons!
4. From Below
5. Goetia
6. Hill of Swords
7. Death in Fall
8. Tormenta Purgatoria
9. Her Wings
10. Casca Dreaming
“Fourth Dominion’s new album fulfills the promises hinted at on their debut, ‘Wings of a Dying Crow’ (2017). The songs are epic but not indulgent; punkish instincts bring the heavy doses of gothic rock and metal into sharp focus. While the sound breaks from the cul-de-sac of tribalism dominating so much rock music, it retains an unmistakable identity and voice. Other bands have tried to chart this territory to varying degrees of success – The Cure’s ‘Bloodflowers’ – whose damaged brilliance lacked the energy and immediacy we are greeted with here. At the heart of this material is Meadow Wyand’s gift for enveloping gothic melodies matched with lyrics that reflect the ennui and destructiveness of our post-pandemic stupor. From the parasitic liaison of ‘Bloodstains’ to the spectral occult of ‘Lilim’, – these songs carry the weight of worlds lurking just beyond the next corner. Backed by the heavy gallop of drums and atmospheric guitar runs, these capture the strange dread of these days”, Harlow Crandall, “Starts Like a Kiss and Ends Like a Curse: The Enigma of Jim Carroll”
“Fourth Dominion are back with a follow-up to 2017’s ‘Wings of a Dying Crow’. With their earlier work, I love the blend between heavy metal and punk, culminating in early AFI meets early Maiden sound. This new venture sees the band bring a more mature and experimental sound. Whilst the new release still has those heavy metal sections such as the solo of ‘Bloodstains’, the punk edge has altered slightly. The new sound falls more into the post-punk category, reminiscent of bands such as Fields of Nephilim as evident on ‘Death in Fall’. This new musical direction aligns Fourth Dominion with contemporary bands such as Unto Others. The highlight for me however has to be ‘Lillim’ with its multilayered chorus which will worm its way into your ears for days with absolutely zero complaints!”, Olivia Matthews, Hornthrowers
“In filth, evil stands”. A line from Fourth Dominion’s upcoming sophomore album that proclaims songwriter Meadow Wyand’s singular and novel point-of-view. An out trans frontwoman, her songs reflect queer trauma and defiance, as well as speaking to existential despair and spiritual divination. The group’s emotionally dense and literate songs draw just as much from the contemplative gothic metal of Anathema and Sentenced, as they do the unapologetic alternative punk of Hole and PJ Harvey. With compositions that are simultaneously somber, catchy and intricate, Fourth Dominion radiate a hunger and commercial appeal beyond the confines of heavy metal to which they are rooted.
Their debut album, 2017’s “Wings of a Dying Crow”, marked an important stride in developing the type of post-In Solitude heavy metal deathrock that has taken off in the years since. Its follow-up shows a love for Angel Witch, as well as the guitar playing of The Smiths and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The album reflects themes not often confronted in heavy metal: disability, gender, the divine feminine, anti-futurist queer politics, and sexual assault. Its exploration of trauma seeks to be a response and companion piece to Hole’s “Live Through This”.
With their forthcoming mission statement, Fourth Dominion showcases their ability to rise to the top of the new wave of gothic metal, or “Deathwave” as Wyand refers to it. Featuring new drummer Brady Mentz and the production talents of Casey Ahrens-Cavallo and Tom Gerwitz, the band have Frankensteined an album of profound emotional depth and commercial readiness. “When we fight, we bash back!” is a promise to both the queer empowerment the album represents, as well as the band’s uncompromising attitude for growth.
Line-up:
Meadow Wyand – Bass/vocals
Dave Milburn.- Guitars
Brady Mentz – Drums
Weblinks:
facebook.com/fourthdominion
instagram.com/fourthdominion
