Il portale della musica Heavy Metal

recensione

Six years after their "Dark Legacy" album, Domination Black makes its comeback with the release of "Dimension: Death", their third full-length, and first with the new vocalist Matias Palm (Merging Flare, Heavy Metal Perse).
The style of the band seems to be driven by the newest member into a more symphonic and melodic direction, BUT, the heavy guitar riffs and solid base brings the roots of their sound still well-planted in the tradition of classic heavy music with some thrash influences.
In addition here Matias appears to be at times as rough and powerful as ever, compared to his usual style, a little touch that seems to fit very well into the dynamics of these compositions. While the keyboards of Juuso Elminen brings harmony in the choruses and a solemn feeling overall the record, the core is undoubtedly represented by the two guitars of Ville and Teppo.
As for the songs, the album starts with a blast with two really good tracks: "Legacy of Fears" is the longest and probably most articulate of the album, beginning with an ominous atmosphere, and progressing into the melodies of the refrain, with various tempo-changes and some interesting riffing, and "Passage of the Dead", (death is the recurrent theme of this release), which somehow recalls the Manni Schimdt-era of Grave Digger in its heaviest parts. The following "Porter at the Gates of Hell" mixes some traits which brings to mind more another German-school power metal band, Primal Fear, with moments more peculiar of an hard rock-ish reminiscence.
The more aggressive track is "The Final Sigh", seemingly still bound more to the previous singer’s style, a good experiment showing the heaviest face of this 6-piece. Following the titletrack-intro, the song "Cold Touch" is undoubtedly the big hit of the album. Not a surprise it’s THE radio hit of the band, with its catchiness and more easy-listening approach. Definitely more melancholic instead "Angel Dark", slowing down the rhythm considerably, but "Evilizer" brings everything back on track in a Judas Priest-fashion, actually one of my favorite of this "Dimention: Death". And at this point you’ll have easily noticed while listening the versatility of Matias vocals.
The record ends with "The Hellbound", classic heavy metal song that while still working out nicely, seems to me a bit on a lower level compared to the main heights of this work.
Domination Black pulls out of the hat a pretty good record, solid, with few lows and a bunch of valid songs. All in all I would say the album gives its best mainly in the first half and the other two highlights "Cold Touch"/"Evilizer". Produced by Teemu Aalto (also guest on "Angel Dark"), and mastered by no less than Mr. Dan Swanö, the sound has a good quality for coming from what basically is the band’s own label.
This should be more than enough to re-launch the band after a few years of silence, and who knows, maybe bring some bigger stages. Good luck DB!

Recensione di Marco Manzi

tracklist

1. Legacy of Fears
2. Passage of the Dead
3. Porter at the Gates of Hell
4. The Final Sigh
5. Dimension: Death
6. Cold Touch
7. Angel Dark
8. Evilizer
9. The Hellbound