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Dominic

Persona

Written by: PP on 27/07/2013 17:19:49

Norway's Dominic have been refining their intriguing mixture between post-metal and original screamo in the cold fjords of Trondheim, Norway for over a decade now, releasing a few EPs and albums without much fanfare or hype despite their sound's close proximity to the likes of Refused and At The Drive-In, not to mention legends like JR Ewing or the seminal local colleagues in Kaospilot. "Persona", their newest album, might just be the one where the scene starts taking notice, not least because of its forward-thinking nature.

Not content at staying in just one genre, the band seamlessly shift between post-metal, screamo, and post-hardcore, utilizing elements and ideas of each genre to put together a brilliant soundscape that's as original as it is innovative. Post-hardcore is used to create a functional dynamic between the screamo and the melancholic clean howls, and post-metal is used for ambiance and beautiful atmospheres that feel as cold as they are beautiful. "To Live For", which opens the record, is incessantly catchy in it's haunted delivery and post-metal epicness, and yet to counter its chilling melodies you have an aggressive song like " Skin Deep", which dives into screamo, nonsensical time signatures, and angular riffs galore. Common to both is a red thread that holds Dominic's sound together in a carefully defined area between all of the genres, where they sound a little like Refused, a little like ATD-I, a little like JR Ewing, all at the same time. It's exceptionally innovative and ahead of its time, all the while also containing retrospective undertones and hints and nuances of the past.

All songs on "Persona" are great. The soundscapes are rich and full of detail, yet the melancholic cleans mean that they are also subtly catchy, which is exactly what is needed to make post-metal sound fantastic. "Persona" is basically a conglomeration of the band's past recorded output, refined into one hell of an innovative and brilliant compilation of post-hardcore, screamo, and post-metal in a seamless mixture of pure awesome. It might not be for everyone, but damn this is a good record.

Download: To Live For, Right For Me, Expiration Date, The Only Thing That's For Certain
For the fans of: Kaospilot, Refused, At The Drive-In, JR Ewing, Traktor
Listen: Facebook

Release date 08.04.2013
Denovali Records