In Desolationem per Nefandum

Written for The Metal Observer: http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=14645


NAZGUL are a little-known symphonic Black Metal band from Italy, known for incredibly annoying vocals. Any fan of this band will admit that, but if you can get over the vox, you've reached the promised land. If the same applies to DAGON, I'm still wandering in the desert.

The vocal style and arrangement here is downright laughable. Not only do his croaks sound out of practice and devoid of passion, it's as if he has no idea there is music being played behind him. Thank heavens the 9-minute vocal track is at the end. I'm one of the last people to say that bad vocals can completely ruin an album, but Rhaxiil's voice destroys the dark mood this album tries to convey.

Too bad for that, since certain sections of this album can be quite captivating, if only the singer would shut his trap (final riff to “Corpus Hermeticum,” for example). Now this would be no masterpiece, either. The songwriting has its own flaws. Many stretches drag into tedium, either to deteriorate into soft filler sections, or in a few places, pick up the pace, attempting to sustain a successful riff and beat combo. The most exciting moment comes when a 2-minute ambient track explodes into the very GORGOROTH-ian “Vestiments of Servitude and Devotion.” It gave me quite a start, but come on, it's the oldest trick in the book.

So with mediocre Black Metal similar in production to SATYRICON's “Rebel Extravaganza,” DAGON survive only on the gimmick that they are from Texas. Oh wait, AVERSE SEFIRA already capitalized on that (check out their latest, “Advent Parallax”).

(Online July 28, 2008)