Dreams of Damnation
Epic Tales of Vengeance

June 2006
Released: 2006, Say It In Blood Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

"Lethal dose of Thrash - Proceed At Your Own Risk!!". I think that risk is way too tempting not to be taken, so let´s at least try to pretend we all tried, ok?



Dreams of Damnation, lead by ex-Dark Angel guitarist Jim Durkin, is back with a monster of Thrash Metal album in their clenched fists. The band´s 6-song EP LET THE VIOLENCE BEGIN that was unleashed via Necropolis Records in 2000, was a somewhat decent release (even if suffered from a weak production) and surely got their name stuck on many metalheads´ minds. However, D.o.D´s EPIC TALES OF VIOLENCE introduces them under much positive light this time, in which frantic and vicious Thrash Metal riff-fest takes the main role, and plays its role with the highest and most delicious grades possible. I mean those heavy, strongly ´darkangelish´ riffs that steal the main role over the music, they just come and pierce through the songs in a marvellously malicious way and through you back in times to the ´80s era of Thrash Metal. Therefore it´s great to notice Jim hasn´t lost his touch over the years, and is still able to shred like in his days in Dark Angel. The band´s female singer, Loana dP Valencia, also does relatively impressive work on the record, sounding kind of like she could be severely possessed by thousands of demons that try desperately to get unleashed through her body. In fact, Loana reminds me of Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy, but sounding a bit more mentally disturbed, in a positive tone of the voice, of course. Miquel, D.o.D.´s skinpounder, does not do any big miracles behind his drumkit technical-wise, but I guess that´s not his intention either. However, in "Eaters of the Dead" Miquel makes sure all hell breaks loose, and he does his marathon in 2 minutes and 12 seconds which should prove something about his skills as an aggressive drummer. Out of the 6 songs ("Crimson Vengeance" is more or less prelude to "Kill for Peace" - and therefore not counted as a real song) only "Beyond Salvation" cannot match with the rest of the songs either in its sheer intensity or in its instant ´punch-in-my-face´ -potentiality. It sounds just a bit breathless and uninspiring. Luckily "The Bloodletting" comes next, and a ride in a testosterone-filled soil starts all over again, bringing Dark Angel to our minds in a pleasently peculiar way - thanks to Mr. Durkin´s totally awesome riff-work in this song. And D.o.D. shows no signs of calming down in the next two songs ("New Flesh" and "Patricide" that are) either, but keeps their aggressive Thrash Metal -pedal tightly pushed to the very bottom over the final chalk lines ´til the race is over.



So, if you need a quick ride back to the ´80s Thrash Metal -era, then you may want to check out EPIC TALES OF VENGEANCE. The album´s one of the most positive surprises this year so far. Now let´s allow all of us get thrashed a little bit, muthafukkers!!!