25. Dawn Of Solace - 'Waves'

We have come across Finnish virtuoso Tuomas Saukkonen before and his Viking obsessed Death Metal outfit Wolfheart, in fact they made number 81 in this very list back in 2018. I think I made comments about sameness and being a poor person’s Amon Amarth. I doubt Toumas heard me, but he has certainly taken heed, as he has retreated back to the comfort of his previous project, the melo-goth outfit Dawn of Solace.

I am jolly glad that he did, as this is nothing short of excellent. It is subtle and melancholic. Whereas Wolfheart had been all big anthems and fake swords, this is subtle, withdrawn and full of tragic fragility. It is doom, but without the big pulsating slabs. Instead it is slight and full of pathos and sorrow. It just sounds wonderful, bleak but utterly beautiful.