Dominus Dominantium – Chained: Epiphany Of The Soulless
Dominus Dominantium – Chained: Epiphany Of The Soulless
Self-Released
Release Date: 25/05/2020
Running Time: 45:28
Review by Victor Augusto
9.5/10
I’m used to hearing, at least, two or three new bands each month for review so it is, probably, not a surprise for me when I discover insanely good bands from different parts from the world. I guess that it is the most interesting thing that happens in this line of work, allied with all the great new friends we make when writing about a specific band. Sometimes we make a few enemies as well, but I still love them too 😊. I still consider myself a novice writing about and reviewing music and after four years I am still impressed each time I discover a good scene and bands from a specific country. So, here I am again with another band from the Dominican Republic, a country that has really surprised me with its quality music.
My contact with Dominus Dominantium came about after I had written a review of one of the best bands I had ever heard in my life, Ophion. Guess what? They are also from the same country. Of course, I was immediately impressed by the quality and dedication of these bands to offer their best for the listener. Both bands have released only one album so far and in the case of “Chained: Epiphany Of The Soulless”, we can hear an album that enchants on the very first listen, even if you are not a fan of Symphonic Black Metal. So let us embark on this journey of apocalypse!
Yes, this album is about the apocalypse and even though the genre that labels the band is Symphonic Black Metal, you mustn’t expect anything satanic here, in fact, It is quite the opposite. It is similar to Dimmu Borgir’s sonority, from the early years, around 2000, but with a concept about the Apocalypse from the Bible. If you’ve read the band’s EMQ’s (linked below), you will know that the band name Dominus Dominantium is taken from the inscription called “Rex Regum et Dominus Dominantium” that means “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”. It is located on the facade, above the door of the historic palace Palazzo Vecchio, where there is a medallion with the monogram of Jesus Christ between two lions in a blue field, surmounted by a gable.
As you can see, there is a great concept in this album that is amazingly interpreted by these people. Musically, you can expect brutal Black Metal with swathes of orchestration and beautiful interpretations with the guttural voice of Ivan Escarfullery (Dominus Vobiscum), alongside the beautiful lyrical voice of Century Khoury (Dominus Century) and the narrations from Rafael Medina (Dominus Dantae). They all show an incredible understanding of the subjects they write about and for sure, Century is the main surprise because she brings a specific kind of vocals that will not bore you due to her incredibly versatile style. The guitar work shown by Gerard Alexander (Dominus Armengol) and Jose Alfredo Ferreras (Dominus Gabriel) is very well arranged in a Black Metal style, but with great melody, especially on their solos. Bassist Junior Carrasco (Dominus Argimir) has a hard job to follow them but does amazing work.
Another highlight is the insane drum work of Giancarlo Ravelo (Dominus Efren). He brings the complete package, everything you could possibly want from an extreme drummer is present. Fast double bass, blast beats, long drum fills and dramatic, rhythmical changes. Everything is perfectly executed by Giancarlo. If you are a fan of good drumming and also want to really understand the power of this band, just take 8 minutes of your time to listen to the beautiful ‘Act III: The Repent (One Last Cry Ov Regret)’. It is one of the most beautiful and heavy songs I have ever heard in my life. From the cadence and beautiful vocals to the insanely fast parts, it is a track that really demands hard work from all of the musicians.
‘Act V: The Fall Ov Babylon (Tore The Veil Ov The Eyes)’ is another aggressive song that explores the best of all the musicians. Maybe, ‘Act VI – The Seven Seals Ov The Apocalypse (The Arrival Ov The Endtimes)’ showcases the vocals of Century more and a melodic side to the band that appears inside all the density of their sonority. The final part of the album is completed using more narration from Rafael but we still have great heavy parts. I must also highlight closing track ‘Act IX – The Apocalyptic Overture (Holocaust Ov Greediness)’. What a beautiful way to finish the album.
The entire album is full of dense keyboards and orchestrations, but the aggressive guitars and drums are always present. Personally, what makes me most happy, is when I see any conceptual album that flees from a boring and repetitive sonority. As already mentioned, this is only Dominus Dominantium’s debut album but they have really put an incredible amount of effort into creating it. No matter what kind of subject you like, the art of being able to effortlessly convey what you want to say in music is what will make you a good artist and Dominus Dominantium have created a wonderful odyssey about the theme they are exploring. ‘Masterpiece’ is the word that defines it!
Act V: The Fall Ov Babylon (Tore The Veil Ov The Eyes) [Audio]
TRACKLISTING:
01. Act I: Prologue (The End Is Just The Beginning)
02. Act II: The Apocalypse (The Revealed Antichrist)
03. Act III: The Repent (One Last Cry Ov Regret)
04. Act IV: The Rise Ov Babylon (A Requiem Ov The Deceased Pedophiles)
05. Act V: The Fall Ov Babylon (Tore The Veil Ov The Eyes)
06. Act VI: The Seven Seals Ov The Apocalypse (The Arrival Ov The Endtimes)
07. Act VII: Chained (The Epiphany Ov The Soulless)
08. Act VIII: Fall Ov Lucifer (Corrupted Wisdom Ov Thy Splendor)
09. Act IX: The Apocalyptic Overture (Holocaust Ov Greediness)
LINE-UP:
Century Khoury (Dominus Century) Vocals
Rafael Medina (Dominus Dantae) Keyboards, Backing Vocals and Narrated Voices
Junior Carrasco (Dominus Argimir) Bass
Giancarlo Ravelo (Dominus Efren) Drums
Gerard Alexander (Dominus Armengol) Lead Guitars
Jose Alfredo Ferreras (Dominus Gabriel) Lead/Rhythm Guitars
Ivan Escarfullery (Dominus Vobiscum) Vocals and Clean Voices
LINKS:
Previous EMQ’s Interview with Dominus Dominantium
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Victor Augusto and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
