Forsaken - Dominaeon
FORSAKEN - the hordes of true doom metal from the shores of sunny crispy Malta return with a fat tabloid of a sound to the fore, which is Dominaeon, out since a couple of months on Golden Lake Productions.
Following their 1994 Anima Mundi release which was a huge leap forward from the promising 2002 Iconoclast MCD, from the opening chords of Dominaeon (the title track) one can suddenly witness a change in sound texture. Gone are the regular keyboard parts and the canvas of guitar layers that gave FORSAKEN an astounding dark sound on Anima Mundi, and to replace them are full male choirs & a more near-to-live sound from all the band alike.
Yet the dark is far from buried as intro The Abscondant God and later Paradigm of Chaos + those well-worked male choirs only bring pictures of the last remembrances of lost ones on a burial ground, those few moments of necessary yet despondent grief that help open the door to joyious moments of evermore. (N.B. : This reference used also sporadically in conjunction with FORSAKEN's lyrics which time after time continue to increasingly refer to the light at the end of the tunnel, as in a religious manner. In fact this CD ends with the "Our Father" prayer read out in Latin). But enough of the metaphysic, what in practical terms Dominaeon presents is a balance of grief & joy, where torment & hope easily intertwine within songs that cuddle the listener to ask for more. At least speaking for myself, whenever I put this disc on, I ensure the Repeat sign on my CD player is on, as I want to be cuddled again and again for a couple of more times, as although this platter clocks in at around near 55 minutes of good solid doom, I still yearn for more. Why? Simply as it is THAT good!!!!
The magic? Too many a trick but here is what captured me above the rest.
∑ The way the guitar intervals with the choirs on "Obsidian Dreams" & "The Celestial Alchemist" reeks of classical music theory put into practice in a modern concept. Lest not to forget, "Blood of the Sun", an AWESOME instrumental including a classical guitar in the background of the mix.
∑ When the bass guitar comes in alone, at a very low register, each time it acts as the dark despotic watcher of the soul, if you get my drift what I mean here. Just put this CD to high volume and you get the feeling of the bass wanting to reach out from the whoofers to capture your soul into FORSAKEN's sound.
∑ The mood of the album seems to change (yet skillfully seamlessly) each 3 songs, thus conveying a feeling of a travelling soul --- from burial to cleansing to finally the ascension of a soul purified by true doom metal. This is further characterized by which skin is beat at which time of the song! For me this is the best performance that the drummer/percussionist Simeon has ever captured on disc.
∑ The fact that not many guitar layers have been laid down, was not a detriment to FORSAKEN. On the other hand, the guitar this time sounds more free, more amplifier-driven, more natural, where the actual valve sound of the 80s can be heard more.
∑ Leo Stivala, the vocalist, once again manages to grab all the work of his companions and bring it to the fore via using the exact vocal harmonies against the other instruments at the right time. Inarguably, the songs come through according to the tone he conveys, however the maturity when to step back continues to increase. Clearly these harmonies give FORSAKEN its epic doom metal sound clearly influenced by predecessors in the scene, yet notwithstandingly unplagariased by this as FORSAKEN become a highly influential band itself.
In fact, although I must admit that on first listen, I immediately felt a preference to Anima Mundi, given a couple of further listens, I took Dominaeon for what it is, a good album that needs NOT be compared to any other. Undiscussably there is a different tone, a different shade to FORSAKEN's sound, yet a good one, and as every lover of doom metal is to admit, a welcome one, as it brings them closer to the feeling they convey when they play Germany, where they are becoming increasingly invited to play festivals year after year. In fact, if the sales of over a 1000 in only a month by their label Golden Lake + personally selling out near to 300 at both their recent CD launch gigs in Germany & Malta were to speak, FORSAKEN seem to be getting where they deserve on the map of global doom metal.
Just like loving someone, one must give a chance to the swinging moods in a person. It is what gives one character, which is most present here on Dominaeon and hence why I suggest all to BUY NOW this latest release by FORSAKEN.
Following their 1994 Anima Mundi release which was a huge leap forward from the promising 2002 Iconoclast MCD, from the opening chords of Dominaeon (the title track) one can suddenly witness a change in sound texture. Gone are the regular keyboard parts and the canvas of guitar layers that gave FORSAKEN an astounding dark sound on Anima Mundi, and to replace them are full male choirs & a more near-to-live sound from all the band alike.
Yet the dark is far from buried as intro The Abscondant God and later Paradigm of Chaos + those well-worked male choirs only bring pictures of the last remembrances of lost ones on a burial ground, those few moments of necessary yet despondent grief that help open the door to joyious moments of evermore. (N.B. : This reference used also sporadically in conjunction with FORSAKEN's lyrics which time after time continue to increasingly refer to the light at the end of the tunnel, as in a religious manner. In fact this CD ends with the "Our Father" prayer read out in Latin). But enough of the metaphysic, what in practical terms Dominaeon presents is a balance of grief & joy, where torment & hope easily intertwine within songs that cuddle the listener to ask for more. At least speaking for myself, whenever I put this disc on, I ensure the Repeat sign on my CD player is on, as I want to be cuddled again and again for a couple of more times, as although this platter clocks in at around near 55 minutes of good solid doom, I still yearn for more. Why? Simply as it is THAT good!!!!
The magic? Too many a trick but here is what captured me above the rest.
∑ The way the guitar intervals with the choirs on "Obsidian Dreams" & "The Celestial Alchemist" reeks of classical music theory put into practice in a modern concept. Lest not to forget, "Blood of the Sun", an AWESOME instrumental including a classical guitar in the background of the mix.
∑ When the bass guitar comes in alone, at a very low register, each time it acts as the dark despotic watcher of the soul, if you get my drift what I mean here. Just put this CD to high volume and you get the feeling of the bass wanting to reach out from the whoofers to capture your soul into FORSAKEN's sound.
∑ The mood of the album seems to change (yet skillfully seamlessly) each 3 songs, thus conveying a feeling of a travelling soul --- from burial to cleansing to finally the ascension of a soul purified by true doom metal. This is further characterized by which skin is beat at which time of the song! For me this is the best performance that the drummer/percussionist Simeon has ever captured on disc.
∑ The fact that not many guitar layers have been laid down, was not a detriment to FORSAKEN. On the other hand, the guitar this time sounds more free, more amplifier-driven, more natural, where the actual valve sound of the 80s can be heard more.
∑ Leo Stivala, the vocalist, once again manages to grab all the work of his companions and bring it to the fore via using the exact vocal harmonies against the other instruments at the right time. Inarguably, the songs come through according to the tone he conveys, however the maturity when to step back continues to increase. Clearly these harmonies give FORSAKEN its epic doom metal sound clearly influenced by predecessors in the scene, yet notwithstandingly unplagariased by this as FORSAKEN become a highly influential band itself.
In fact, although I must admit that on first listen, I immediately felt a preference to Anima Mundi, given a couple of further listens, I took Dominaeon for what it is, a good album that needs NOT be compared to any other. Undiscussably there is a different tone, a different shade to FORSAKEN's sound, yet a good one, and as every lover of doom metal is to admit, a welcome one, as it brings them closer to the feeling they convey when they play Germany, where they are becoming increasingly invited to play festivals year after year. In fact, if the sales of over a 1000 in only a month by their label Golden Lake + personally selling out near to 300 at both their recent CD launch gigs in Germany & Malta were to speak, FORSAKEN seem to be getting where they deserve on the map of global doom metal.
Just like loving someone, one must give a chance to the swinging moods in a person. It is what gives one character, which is most present here on Dominaeon and hence why I suggest all to BUY NOW this latest release by FORSAKEN.
1. The Abscondant God (Intro)
2. Dominaeon
3. Paradigm Of Chaos
4. Obsidian Dreams
5. The Celestial Alchemist
6. Daylight Dies
7. Blood Of The Son (Instrumental)
8. Kenosis
9. Wretched Of The Earth
10. Resurgam
Golden Lake Productions
Reviewer: necrogool
Feb 26, 2009
Feb 26, 2009
Next review:
For Ruin - December
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