Banisher of Unlight



Dawnbreaker is a Christian black metal project founded by musician Cullen Toner, also formerly known as Maelstrom. After spending approximately 15 years involved in secular death and black metal bands (among which were Angelcide, Abazagorath, Dyabolica, Wall of Water) in the New Jersey/New York City area, Toner experienced a significant spiritual transformation around 2014, leading him back to Christianity. In 2017, he departed from his secular musical endeavors to establish Dawnbreaker, aiming to atone for his past work and dedicate his musical talents to glorifying God. The project’s lyrics and themes are deeply rooted in Christian theology, often exploring concepts such as spiritual warfare, redemption, and the triumph of light over darkness. Toner views Dawnbreaker’s albums as acts of contrition for previous offenses committed during his secular music career, striving to create music that serves as a beacon of light in the often dark realms of black and death metal. Currently Toner resides in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.