DGM are back with Life, their 11th album, filled with their blend of progressive power metal with the occasional hint of pop sensibilities…
The Italian power metal band DGM originally formed in 1994 as in instrumental group with a lineup that shares no personnel with the current iteration. With Titta Tani joining the band before the release of their third album Dreamland (2001), the band started to draw critical attention. The band’s next two albums, Hidden Place (2003) and Misplaced (2004) helped them gain further attention and the band started playing larger festivals like Gods of Metal in 2003 and later in 2007 with the likes of Heaven & Hell, Dream Theater, and Symphony X. In 2007, Marco Basile was announced as the new vocalist and has remained through this album. Since the arrival of Basile, there has been a relatively stable lineup and the band has had various guest artists on albums including vocals from Russell Allen (Symphony X) and Tom Englund (Evergrey) and guitars from Jørn Viggo Lofstad (Pagan’s Mind) and Michael Romeo (Symphony X). Guitarist Simone Mularoni picked up production duties for DGM’s ninth album, The Passage, in 2016 and the new album Life was recorded and produced at Domination Studio in San Marino.
First of all there are so many good bands out there that go unnoticed and for me DGM falls into that category. Other people won’t be too surprised however and that their video for “To the Core” has over 68K views before the album even releases, certainly supports that. Simone Mularoni opens the track with a bit of guitar virtuosity and then the band launches straight into a heavy opening riff which shifts in speed and intensity into the verses. The rhythm section of Andrea Arcangeli on bass and Fabio Costantino on drums provide a solid pounding backdrop for the track with the keyboards from Emanuele Casali adding nuance and a brighter feel to the heaviness without becoming a dominant feature. Production and mixing are spot on for power metal, guitars and vocals come through clearly but don’t overpower everything else and the same can be said for the keyboards. The trading solos between Mularoni and Casali works really well and is integrated well within the song.
As if that wasn’t enough proof of the band’s draw, the video for the opening track on the album is over the 100K views mark as of mid-November and still pre-release of the album. “Unravel the Sorrow” served as a good introduction to DGM for me although I do like “To the Core” better. Similar to “To the Core” the song has a fast, heavy riff opening, but the verses begin with a showcase for Basile’s vocals backed by atmospheric keyboards. Certainly not as heavy as “To the Core” but it does show the band being able to shift the mood especially though great use of the soaring bridge and chorus.
“The Calling” proceeds much in the way of “Unravel the Sorrow” but with the bass of Andrea Arcangeli driving the verse sections along and Simone Mularoni adding in some great guitar fills in quieter moments. In contrast, “Second Chance” is more like “To the Core” and in some ways both musically and from a vocals standpoint reminds me a bit of Evergrey, which is a good thing. The more times I listen to the track, the more I hear, in terms of subtle elements of musicianship that add complexity to what could be a much simpler song and those extra flourishes not only highlight the strength of the performances but also the work that went into crafting the songs.
“Find Your Way” brings in an 80’s metal feel and almost a pop element, which was a surprise. I will say that Mularoni’s guitar work in the song has many elements from that era as well as overall sound and feel. The soaring chorus is a bit over the top for my liking, but does fit within a pop metal motif. I much prefer the heaviness throughout “Dominate” with its fast opening guitar work and main riff and the guitar-driven verses. The instrumental “Eve” was a bit of surprise but did give the band a great opportunity to showcase their performances in a moody, slower-paced track. “Leave it All Behind” has one of those opening riffs that grabs your attention and keeps the focus on the guitars, which are the focal point musically although the support from keyboards does strengthen the overall impact.
Life is a great addition to the DGM catalog and I can say that without hearing the full catalog as the performances and songs on the album are that strong. The more I listen, the more I can hear bands like Evergrey in the DGM sound on this album, but with perhaps slightly less heavy. Power metal for sure, but some progressive elements combined with great musicianship and songcraft.
Rating: 8/10
Written by John Jackson
Tracklist
- Unravel the Sorrow
- To the Core
- The Calling
- Second Chance
- Find Your Way
- Dominate
- Eve
- Journey to Nowhere
- Leave All Behind
- Neuromancer
Band Members
Marco Basile – Vocals
Simone Mularoni – Guitars
Andrea Arcangeli – Bass
Fabio Costantino – Drums
Emanuele Casali – Keyboards
Release Date: November 17th. 2023
Record Label: Frontiers Records
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Video for “Unravel the Sorrow”
Video for “To the Core”