Dark Rainbow is an ambitious album that not only announces Root Zero but establishes them. Across eleven tracks, the Welsh six-piece take gothic and progressive metal’s shadowy tendencies and shape them into something that’s not only intricate but intensely driven.
The album thrives on its contrasts. “Ignis Fatuus” shifts from glacial calm to massive, punishing riffs, while “Notti D’Inverno” explores more brooding territory with a cinematic bent. Sasha Bannister’s lead vocals cut cleanly through thick arrangements by offering clarity without sacrificing grit. Giacomo Fiderio (keyboards/co-lead vocals) layers atmospheric elements with precision by making each moment feel deliberate rather than decorative.
Root Zero’s dual-guitar setup (Llyr Williams and Wren Wood) doesn’t just chug. They coil around each other, creating space and friction in equal measure. Meanwhile, Rob Edwards (bass) and Joshua Powell-Gibbs (drums) form a rhythm section that knows when to pull back and when to detonate.
The album also avoids the common trap of overplaying ambition. While it’s clearly influenced by bands like Cult of Luna and Katatonia, Dark Rainbow feels more self-assured than referential. The arrangements are tightly controlled but never sterile. The band understands dynamics, how to hold tension, when to break it, and how to rebuild something stranger and heavier in its place.
It’s that careful pacing and push-pull between chaos and clarity that makes Dark Rainbow seethe, coil, and crush with precision. Root Zero aren’t just checking genre boxes with Dark Rainbow, they’re drawing new lines with every track by crushing grooves with icy drama and sky-splitting heaviness.
