'Haunting'

 (Violent Journey records)











MARK: 81/100



 
This mini-CD of this 6-piece from Finland (though in the band's picture are only 5 musicians) can boast a marvellous production of strong impact, but not a very original style, despite the band already had the opportunity and time to develop one's style during the composition and the arrangements of two previous platters. The references to Lordi are more than evident, and it's not a coincidence Mr. Lordi himself decided to appear as a guest vocalist on the opening track, "The House of 1,000 Eyes", a song in the Finnish monster band's style. Things change a bit in the following "Shadow King", balanced between Symphonic Gothic Melodic metal and sharp guitars, with the vocal patterns by Kari-A-Killgast, luckily differencing from his guest's.
The highlights of the 5-track is without any doubt "No More again (H.F.H)", owing to great riffs and a superb chorus; once again the composition unawarely (?) pays homage to some masters; in this case it can be appreciated especially by fans of King Diamond, Judas Priest and Winters Bane, but it doesn't matter because it's so masterfully arranged that its epicness, gothicness and horror make it somehow something new; as if it weren't enough there's also a Prog/Classic HM part in the middle that makes it different from many clones.
"A World without Heroes" is a cover version of a Kiss's song: slow and heavier than the original, it remains a tad pompous, more than any average Kiss song, but this has to be explained by the fact it was co-written with Lou Reed.
The closure is entrusted with "Evil Has Found A Home", an acoustic song, that doesn't miss revealing its diabolic facade, when a child's voice appears from the hereafter, drawing the listener towards a lethal trap...
Four songs are not enough to establish if an act is ready for the pension or should work on their style more, as I didn't have the chance of listening to their previous works; yet the premises are quite positive and the qualities overcome the faults; this, of course, can't prevent me from suggesting a major effort in order to achieve a more personal approach to the new material, also keeping in mind they can count on two guitarists.

MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 2nd October 2008





Line-up on this record:
Juha Beck - d.
Teppo Heiskanen - g.
SIR'Eerola - b.
Ville Wiren, g.
Juuso "Welder" Elminen - k.
Kari - A -Killagst - v.




Contacts:
Kotka - Finland
E-mail: dominationblack@gmail.com
Official sites: http://www.dominationblack.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dominationblack




Demo-/Disco-graphy:
Termination Daze, vol. 2 (demo - 2003)
Trendofobia (demo - 2004)
Fear ReloaDEAD (demo - 2004)
Fearbringer (CD - 2005)
Dark Legacy (CD - 2006)
Domination Black (MCD - 2008)