Member:
singring
Date:
9/27/2009
Dol Ammad is the sister project to Dol Theeta, both of which are the brain child of Greek musician and producer Thanasis Lightbridge. Describing his music as 'Electronica Art Metal', Lightbridge created these two projects with two different emphases in mind: Dol Theeta is a project where electronica and metal fuse into an atmospheric and very ambient whole, electronic elements having a slight upper hand. With Dol Ammad, Lightbridge is even more ambitious - this project combines metal elements and instrumentation with electronica, but also adds a huge cast of operatic vocalists to the mix! The result is rather unique and truly 'progressive'.
Ocean Dynamics boasts some of the finest musicians and vocalists of today's metal and prog scene: Alex Holzwarth of Sieges Even and Rhapsody fame supplies the drums (and does an outstanding job), while DC Cooper provides a guest vocal. In addition, a chorus of 7 male and female operatic vocalists each provide a choral backbone to the vocals. The four part “Thalassa Dominion” suite that opens the album can be described as 'Operatic Electronic Bombast Power Metal'. It is quite incredible to hear massive operatic quires sing over driving blast beats one usually associates with black metal or death metal and Lightbridge deserves credit for succeeding to blend these two crassly different musical styles in a way that actually works. The operatic element is mixed in with restraint, however, which makes for an almost instrumental feel to the whole affair. The compositions blast from the speaker like a true thrill ride and again the production and mix are stellar. The problem the album faces is that it is too bombastic and opulent to appeal to many metal fans, but much too heavy and fast to appeal to any opera lovers - but that is the risk of breaking new ground.
The electronic beats and sampled/looped elements on this album are more restrained than on the Dol Theeta project, and the guitars and drums dominate these compositions. The only mellow and more ambient tracks are “Descent”, and the beautifully relaxing closer “Heart of the Sea”. The rest of the album is filled with pulse-pounding and truly driven riffing in the power metal, gothic metal and death metal vein, with blast beats galore, but attention is given to pacing and the music does ebb and flow much like the album title suggests. Some 'trancy' loops and samples add the 'electronica' flavour.
Overall, I found this album to be even more satisfying than its companion piece Dol Theeta. If you hunger for fast, exciting and bombastic music such as gothic metal or power metal with a bit of a twist, this album should be right up your alley.
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