Dagtum
– Revered Decadence
The
Philippines
Eastbreath
Records / BRC-30 Productions
It
is bad luck that the power went out as I am about to write this
review. Loadshedding is common in my country. Fortunately, my laptop
was fully charged before it happened. Now I'm sitting here in the
dark listening to Dagtum, a Filipino band that plays dissonant and
weird death metal with sludge elements. I guess the darkness
surrounding me adds to the experience of listening to this band's
debut album, "Revered Decadence", as the album is brimming
with darkness and has a decadent atmosphere. The music itself is not
really fast, but mostly moves at a slow to mid tempo full of
off-kilter riffs that brings to mind a slower Immolation. The sound
is also fairly reminiscent of a band like Ulcerate, including that
nailing double bass that is used sporadically to add intensity. The
drums are quite prominent and can be heard clearly in the mix, as can
the bass. The band churns out some hard-hitting riffs and captivates
the listener with a truly dense atmosphere. Three bands come to mind
when listening to Dagtum: Immolation, Gorguts
and Ulcerate. Whether they are influenced by these bands or not, I do
not know, but the trace elements and comparisons are undeniable.
Dagtum are definitely on the right track, and the debut album
certainly has some truly captivating moments. The whole album glides
through a series of seemingly quirky riffs and polyrhythmic segments,
but they are pared down enough to maintain a certain level of
cohesion. There's a lot of detail, but it's also easy to follow,
making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It took me about three
tracks to get the gist of their music, so for the average listener,
patience is a virtue. “Revered
Decadence” will be released on 30th
of
August via Eastbreath Records and BRC-30 Productions. (HT)