Album Review: Dust of Time – The Waking Hours
Artist: Dust of Time
Title: The Waking Hours
Label: Befalling Silence Productions
Release date: May 14th, 2025
Country: Greece
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
Album Review: Dust of Time – The Waking Hours via Befalling Silence Productions by Pegah
I believe that where sorrow takes shape, art is born. All forms of art emerge from human emotions, and the more the suffering, the deeper the expression becomes. Likewise, the audience connects with a piece of art in proportion to their own pain, finding within it a reflection of themselves. In this way, depending on the situation the listener has, a powerful interaction unfolds between the artist and the audience, with art becoming the bridge that unites their shared experience. This is exactly how I felt while listening to “The Waking Hours”, the debut album by the Greek project Dust of Time. In this work, Manolis Fasoulakis, together with Shane Beck, channels a deeply personal experience of “loss” through a distinctive and powerfully expressive musical language.
Throughout the album, every sound and every word felt vividly embodied—almost cinematic—as if I were witnessing everything with my own eyes. The cover art—depicting a sorrowful, crying child, a broken mirror, and a clock—visually evokes themes closely tied to the concept of “loss”.
The album begins with the ticking of a clock—a sound that, to me, underscores the relentless passage of time and the weight of something inevitable. We overhear a phone conversation filled with panic and urgency, a sense of helplessness hanging in the air, as if nothing more can be done. A dreamlike atmosphere prevails until the abrupt beep marks the end of the call—an end to communication. In that silence, dream and reality suddenly intersect, pierced by a voice that quietly says, “It’s time. Take me home”. “Broken Mirror” unfolds within a soundscape that feels urgent and overwhelming, mirroring the anxiety of time slipping away. The voice narrates a fleeting moment of encounter—yet it happens within a dream. We are drawn into an introspective monologue that ultimately calls for moving forward, for transcending limits. But just as this sense of progression begins to form, the sharp sound of a breaking mirror shatters the illusion, pulling us back into a harsh reality. As a traditional symbol of bad omen, the broken mirror deepens the sense of unease, suggesting that moving beyond may come at a cost.
“Bitter Return” captures the harsh and painful act of remembering moments shared with loved ones. Its dreamy soundscape contrasts with the weight of memory, while Shane Beck’s spoken narration gradually transforms into a heartfelt eulogy. “Forest A Flame” narrates a complex situation through forgetting and remembering—a feeling of inner destruction, loss, and ultimately, renewal. The soundscape takes on an Eastern character, growing more energetic as the piece unfolds. The climax arrives with a powerful realization: death is not the end. “The Weeping Tide”, written by Shane Beck, is a deeply personal reflection on the sorrow of losing loved ones. The track is steeped in powerful emotion, unfolding in a dreamy atmosphere as if Beck is crossing into another realm, surrounded by the ethereal sounds of angels mourning his loneliness.
“September” marks the time of separation—a continuation of “Room 10”, where the first cracks of division began to form. It is the time of the final goodbye. The soundscape swells into something epic, and Shane Beck’s voice carries the weight of farewell. Together, these elements make “September” the emotional climax of the album. Finally, “The Waking Hours” closes the album with the gentle sound of waves and a heartfelt monologue addressed to Manolis Fasoulakis’ father—a final wish to see him once more before the dream slips away. 8.5/10
8.5/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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