Many members of the Romanian band Daius will be best known to listeners as current or former members of the widely beloved Clouds (and a dozen other groups), but the music of Daius takes them in other directions, which could be crudely summed up as a fashioning of atmospheric/pagan black metal. Those directions were first revealed in the debut album of Daius, named Ascuns, which was released in February of last year. Consisting of five substantial tracks, three of which were 10 minutes or longer in length, it deserved much more attention than it received.
Hopefully, the word about Daius will spread further, and their new single that we’re premiering today through a lyric video should help do that, especially because it foreshadows the creation of another Daius album in the coming months. The name of this song is “Jălire“, and the band describe its conception in these words:
“Jălire” is a song tackling mortuary customs in ancient Romanian traditions. The word “Jălire” means “mourning” in a more archaic form, and depicts old superstitions regarding the passage of the soul towards the otherworld. For instance, covering the mirror with black cloth, so that the soul of the dead won’t get trapped in the house. Or the custom of bringing an even number of flowers as a gift for the departed.
All the sadness associated with the passing of a loved one comes with a steady dose of discipline and pragmatism, in order to ensure proper funerary rites that will help the passage to run properly. Omitting these sacred rituals will bring misfortunes both to the dead and to their still living family.
The music of Ascuns wove an audio tapestry capable of catching the ear in its many details. In its changing soundscapes it was poignant and soft, vast and awe-inspiring in its grandeur, incendiary and heart-breaking. It included flute, windpipes, and acoustic guitar along with blasting drums, sweeping guitars that burned with spectacular light, and truly shattering vocal performances.
Over and over again, Ascuns proved capable of drawing the listener deep within its blazing visions and moods of mystery, sorrow, remembrance, and joy, and it judiciously chose its times to deliver a jolting visceral punch as well. On top of that album, the new song “Jălire” strengthens the impression of Daius as a band worth watching very closely.
Like most of the songs on Ascuns, this new one is lengthy, but like those others there’s no temptation to wander away. And like its predecessors the music ranges far and wide.
Soft and sublime at first, with an entrancing flute-led melody, it swells in power. The riffing is craggy and grim in its opening tones, but as the drums become more animated, the music soars overhead, and then the song explodes in a flurry of battering drums and the advent of those truly wrenching vocals. The guitars are still expansive, but the mood is one of agony.
The power of the song ebbs and flows, and the drumming tunes your pulse. When the music softens the band bring in what might be a jaw-harp, and later you’ll hear new percussive sounds. It also bursts open again like a storm, enlivened by the flicker of the flute. Doubled vocals make an already intense and spine-tingling impact even more harrowing. As it blazes, it takes the breath away. As it subsides, it evokes introspective memories of people we’ve lost.
The timing of this new single is propitious, because it will soon be followed by Daius‘ appearance at the Metal Gates Festival in Bucharest on October 14-16 alongside such bands as Primordial, In Mourning, , Varathron, Necronomicon, and Agathodaimon.
To get more info about the band and their music, check the links below. And we’re also including a complete stream of their debut album Ascuns, which is well worth a deep dive.
DAIUS is:
Andrei O – vocals and windpipes
Mihai D – guitars
Alex B – guitars
Alex C – Bass
Daniel N – drums
DAIUS – BANDCAMP STORE:
https://daius.bandcamp.com/releases
FOLLOW DAIUS:
https://www.facebook.com/DaiusBand