Episode 8 – Strange Relief: The Works of Beyond Dawn

Join us on an extended tour through the curious world of Norway’s Beyond Dawn. For thirteen years, Beyond Dawn occupied a shadowy, distorted universe of their own making. Rather than scowl at the moon, Beyond Dawn chased phantoms through pitiless cityscapes and fairytale grottos in equal measure. An outlier even in a community of dissidents, Beyond Dawn created a realm where things are rarely as they appear.

Note I: In this episode, we take a brief sidebar to wax romantic on the bass stylings of Hugh Stephen James Mingay, better known to metal enthusiasts as Skoll. If you’ve not done so, we encourage you to explore the man’s work in Ulver, Ved Buens Ende, and Arcturus. Even his work with the lesser known Fimbulwinter (Skoll appeared on their 1994 LP Servants of Sorcery) has its merits and paves the way for the comparably bass-forward Carpathian Forest LP, Black Shining Leather. Few metal bassists have ever approached the instrument with such lyricism.

Note II: We apologize for the dodgy quality of some of the dialogue. We were having a lousy Internet connection on one end and a storm on the other. Still, we think the life-affirming optimism of Beyond Dawn’s music, or complete lack thereof, comes through loud and drear.

Note III: Give it up and give in.

Music cited, in order of appearance:

“The Sound of Wings” (Heaven’s Dark Reflection, 1991 demo) “Strained, Down and Under” (Up Through the Linear Shades, 1993 7”) “Cold” (Longing for Scarlet Days, 1994 EP) “Clouds Swept Away the Colours” (Longing for Scarlet Days, 1994 EP) “As the Evening Falters, the Dogs Howl” (Pity Love, 1995) “Ripe as the Night” (Pity Love, 1995) “Resemblance” (Revelry, 1998) “Life’s Sweetest Reward” (Revelry, 1998) “Naked (How to Produce Honesty)” (In Reverie, 1999, recorded 1996) “Certain Qualities” (Electric Sulking Machine, 1999) “Fairy Liquid” (Electric Sulking Machine, 1999) “Far from Showbiz” (Frysh, 2003) “Bloody Comeback” (Frysh, 2003) “Severed Survival” (Autopsy, Severed Survival, 1989) “Severed Survival” (Frysh, 2003) “Chaosphere” (Longing for Scarlet Days, 1994 EP)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

From Corte Dei Miracoli to Carbonized, Yes to Nomeansno, Radical Research dissects the work of rock and metal’s most daring artists and albums.

This is Radical Research Podcast, episode 8