DAGOBA
For the release of their last album two years ago, 'Post Mortem Nihil Est', overzealous press blurb hailed Dagoba as "France's premiere metal act". I questioned that at the time, suggesting this seems to entirely disavow Gojira's far greater, ever-increasing, popularity. Dagoba are, undeniably, the lesser known of the two. That said, they have started to make a name for themselves within the scene and 'Tales of the Black Dawn', their sixth studio album, will undoubtedly consolidate their aesthetic mettle (and metal) as a force to be reckoned with.
I described this album's predecessor as "a groovy, epic, atmospheric, extreme metal beast of a record" and that statement remains true for 'Tales of the Black Dawn'. So much so, that this is actually a sideways step for the band rather than augmenting any noticeable progression or intensity within their established modus operandi. That's not necessarily a negative thing, of course; rather, they've succeeded in preserving the essence of their core sound within ten new compositions. Various subgenre elements are blended to perfection once again - tremolo-picked black metal passages are mixed up with a more no-nonsense death attack, which often gives way to thrashier, groovier parts and an overlay of industrial/symphonic-infused atmospheres. And their compositionally potent fusion is executed wonderfully within the context of a clinical production. I would usually argue a little too clinical for most other bands but, for Dagoba, the precision of songs' rhythmically incisive foundations needs a level of clinical precision to flourish.
Vocally, frontman Shawter's growls are on the money once again, although his sporadically utilised clean voice has just enough dissonance, edging off-key all too often, to be a distraction from the music over which he 'sings' (in fact, 'The Loss' is rendered unlistenable as it features 90 per cent clean singing). Songs overall efficacy is abated drastically during such passages... a shame. I don't recall this being a problem on 'Post Mortem Nihil Est' or, at least, it was less noticeable if so. My advice to the guy would be to expand his repertoire of growls to widen his vocal palette in that sense. However, apart from this clean vocal discordance, 'Tales of the Black Dawn' remains a grand achievement.
I described this album's predecessor as "a groovy, epic, atmospheric, extreme metal beast of a record" and that statement remains true for 'Tales of the Black Dawn'. So much so, that this is actually a sideways step for the band rather than augmenting any noticeable progression or intensity within their established modus operandi. That's not necessarily a negative thing, of course; rather, they've succeeded in preserving the essence of their core sound within ten new compositions. Various subgenre elements are blended to perfection once again - tremolo-picked black metal passages are mixed up with a more no-nonsense death attack, which often gives way to thrashier, groovier parts and an overlay of industrial/symphonic-infused atmospheres. And their compositionally potent fusion is executed wonderfully within the context of a clinical production. I would usually argue a little too clinical for most other bands but, for Dagoba, the precision of songs' rhythmically incisive foundations needs a level of clinical precision to flourish.
Vocally, frontman Shawter's growls are on the money once again, although his sporadically utilised clean voice has just enough dissonance, edging off-key all too often, to be a distraction from the music over which he 'sings' (in fact, 'The Loss' is rendered unlistenable as it features 90 per cent clean singing). Songs overall efficacy is abated drastically during such passages... a shame. I don't recall this being a problem on 'Post Mortem Nihil Est' or, at least, it was less noticeable if so. My advice to the guy would be to expand his repertoire of growls to widen his vocal palette in that sense. However, apart from this clean vocal discordance, 'Tales of the Black Dawn' remains a grand achievement.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
earMUSIC
Album
TALES OF THE BLACK DAWN
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
40:32
RELEASE DATE:
10th July 2015
TRACK LISTING
1) Epilogue
2) The Sunset Curse
3) Half Damn Life
4) Eclipsed
5) Born Twice
6) The Loss
7) Sorcery
8) O, Inverted World
9) The Dawn
10) Morning Light
2) The Sunset Curse
3) Half Damn Life
4) Eclipsed
5) Born Twice
6) The Loss
7) Sorcery
8) O, Inverted World
9) The Dawn
10) Morning Light
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
France
"...they have started to make a name for themselves within the scene and 'Tales of the Black Dawn', their sixth studio album, will undoubtedly consolidate their aesthetic mettle (and metal) as a force to be reckoned with."
