First Draft – An Instant Before the Promise of Dawn

Written by on 08-10-2025 at 23:03.

Have you ever wondered what Royal Blood might sound like if they ventured into post-rock? If so, then First Draft is the band for you. The French duo (made up of vocalist/drummer Marine Arnoult and bassist Clément Douam) return with their energetic and layered take on post-rock in their new album An Instant Before the Promise of Dawn. Lyrically, the album captures those moments of anxious anticipation just before profound and positive change takes place, doing so with a tight blend of raw emotion and technical precision. (Side note: beautifully done!)

The album kicks off with a bang with For A Few Minutes More, which sets the overall tone effectively: urgent, immersive, and emotionally charged. The driving tempo is effortlessly maintained in tracks like A Tyrant’s Heaven and Agnostalic. Here, First Draft showcase their ability to shift between tempos and moods without ever losing momentum. The tracks feel unpredictable but never disjointed — as though you’re constantly teetering on the edge of an explosion. The lead single Paralysis Kingdom features Marine’s most powerful vocal performance, with the ending giving the impression that her commanding voice could break under the weight of emotion at any moment — a moment that makes the transition into the second half of the album even more impactful.

After the intensity of the first half, there’s a noticeable shift in direction with the calmer My Courage Is Prey. It retains the emotional weight, but the move to a slower pace can feel slightly abrupt at times, as though the flow doesn’t fully carry through. The closing track, Promised Lands, wraps up the album on a sombre yet hopeful note — though there remains a sense that something more could have been drawn out.

An Instant Before the Promise of Dawn is an absorbing listening experience — technically impressive and emotionally resonant in equal measure. First Draft succeed in capturing the tension of change and anticipation in an album that is both thought-provoking and captivating. It’s a record that is sure to resonate with fans of textured, layered post-rock.

Score:

90/100

Label:

VLAD Productions, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. For A Few Minutes More
  2. A Tyrant’s Heaven
  3. Agnostalic
  4. Paralysis Kingdom
  5. My Courage Is Pray
  6. Sattelites In Your Sway
  7. Promised Lands

Line-up:

  • Marine Arnoult: Drums, vocals
  • Clément Douam: bass guitar

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