Sadly, even in this day and age it's not uncommon for good bands to hit rough patches. Take for instance The Postman Syndrome, with a cult audience quickly growing behind them their label Now Or Never was swallowed up by Century Media - a label who weren't exactly keen on releasing an album by a group who didn't fit in with the rest of their roster.

Following that up were long periods of inactivity and member changes, moves which saw The Postman Syndrome retool their line-up and their sound and rebirth themselves as Day Without Dawn. If there is to be a silver lining to the dark clouds the band weathered however, it is the music featured on this, their debut EP.

While some of the tracks were originally written in demo stages under the bands previous incarnation, none of it ever saw a public release and much of it has been altered to the bands new outlook. This outlook, while not entirely different from that of The Postman Syndrome's, sees less vocal interplay and a more penetrable wall of guitars.

But true enough, less can be more and despite the thinner ranks, the involved melodies the band create are both sweeping and delicate. There are still similarities to outfits like Tool and Cave In, as the arrangements are rather complex and sonically driven, but that's about where it ends. There's also no denying the prog rock influence present, but rather than sounding sterile and highly labored, Day Without Dawn feel organic and unreserved.

The vocals have become far more earnest and emphatic, often adding their own complimentary pattern to the wistful guitars. In turn the instrumentation is increasingly contemplative and the musicianship, while impressive, seems more inviting. Perhaps this is due to less cooks in the kitchen, or perhaps the band is turning over a new leaf. But with their heavier side becoming more subdued to the point of a few juggernaut riffs and barked vocals, Day Without Dawn have definitely earned themselves their new name.

Yes there are some muddled elements and musical missteps, but it is great to see that despite the adversity they've faced, they have yet to put on the commercial shackles. An abstract listen rich with harmonies, intellectually stimulating material and charming creativity, A Day Without Dawn are a welcome up and coming star in the dusk that has finally begun to settle on the ever-increasingly cliched metalcore craze.