DGM
Momentum

Damn Good Metal, that is how one reviewer described Italian band DGM and their eighth album Momentum. They are said to be widely regarded as one of the best progressive metal band in Europe, widely regarded by whom? I have never even heard about the band before I got this album in my mailbox, and I write for a webzine and have done so for five years during which this band has released two albums and if we count from the time Hallowed was a printed magazine it is four albums they have released and I have never heard of them, until now. They have some prominent guests on this album as well in Russell Allen and guitar wizard Jörn Viggo Lofstad. The album also features a smashing cover artwork that seems to have borrowed the colour idea from Hallowed as we feature the same colours. So what about this album then?

They talk about the progressive metal genre in conjuncture with this album, it does not feel quite right as it to me sound more like power metal. It is built around strong choruses and an overall melodic buildup, the progressiveness has to come from the complex soloing or something like that because other than that there isn’t anything I would describe as progressive with this album. They have a very good singer with a voice perfectly suited for this album even though it could have sounded better in duet with Russell Allen which is made in the first track of the album. The production for this album is quite brilliant and gives the album a very strong soundscape that would impress most, so I would say that this album has all the ingredients for being a good album.

And that is exactly what it is, it starts strongly with Reason that features Russell Allen and then it is followed by ten more songs, all with a one-word title which is quite fun. All the songs on this album are good songs as well and the only downside I can really notice is that many of the songs are quite similar, especially the choruses tend to melt together a little bit. In terms of this album this similitude is not much of a problems as the songs are so damn good and the 56 minute playing time of this album actually feels rather short and playing the album twice in a row is really not a problem at all. I think that this is an enjoyable album and the most enjoyable thing on it is the second track called Trust which is a great track.

If you look for progressive metal, this is not the album for you as it does not sound very progressive to me. Maybe I have heard too much of these albums and therefore I tend to think much of it is not progressive, or maybe it just isn’t progressive and I also think some promotors or press release writers add a little progressive just to make it look more interesting. This is interesting without that label and it is an album well worth looking into for anyone who likes their music melodic and catchy. It is catchy as hell and really good, Damn Good Metal is not a bad guess for the band name.

HHHHHHH