EP Review: Dendera - Reborn Into Darkness

One thing that has disappointed me is how few metal bands have come up in recent years and made any sort of claim to be the next wave to move the genre forward. So many of them have followed in the footsteps of those who came before, but done little to differentiate themselves. They have spent their time rewriting the classic songs, and that has left a lot of metal feeling rather static and played out. Dendera had the potential to be one of the bands to buck that trend when they released "The Killing Floor", but I will admit they fell off my radar when they released an EP rather than a full album. This next one found its way to me, so let's see where the band is heading now.

Right out of the gates, I'm smacking my head with the decision to start off with an introductory piece. EPs are so short anyway, spending two minutes on a needless bit of instrumentation feels like a waste of my time. If you only have four songs, just give me the four songs. There's no need to pad things out just to make the track listing look a bit longer. Anyway...

"The Void" gets us going with a song full of heavy riffing, a sinister attitude, and vocals that bring to mind Ripper Owens. There is a feeling to the song reminiscent of Charred Walls Of The Damned, with some harsh vocals thrown in for good measure. It's all solid stuff, and certainly not wedded to the past, but at the same time I can't say it has the killer instinct I'm looking for.

"The End Of Days" is a stronger track, with palpable energy from the guitars, a bit more pace, and a far stronger melody. The hints of harsh vocals on this song work better, because there's more melody to play them against. The juxtaposition is much more effective when the two sides pull further apart. This is more in line with the Dendera I remember, where they are a pummeling metal band, but they retain a melodic core that widens their appeal. It's really good.

That continues on with "Endless Suffering", which takes on a slower, more ominous tone. The song pulls back from the onslaught to give a bit more space, and the break is both appreciated and effective. It also provides a backdrop for a fantastic melody in the chorus, although I know I've heard it before. It reminds me a lot of Bob Catley's song, "Win The Throne". That's a great song, so the comparison isn't a negative at all.

After one more solid track, the EP leaves me feeling a bit incomplete. I like what I'm hearing, and I just wanted to hear a bit more of it. There's plenty of room within the framework Dendera is working with to tweak the mood from song to song and put together a cohesive album that showcases the different sides of the band's sound. That's something I would very much like to hear. But, for the time being, these four songs are what we're given, and taking them as they are, it's an easy winner.

Dendera continues to produce modern heavy metal that updates the traditional sound into the current day, with songs that have plenty of appeal for the hardcore and those who aren't. "Reborn Into Darkness" is a nice bite-sized chunk of quality metal.