Independent Release
Review By Tony Cannella
New York’s DesDemon play Blackened Power Metal, with an emphasis on POWER. Their debut effort is a 5-song EP titled “The Awakening” and although there are only 5-tracks included, it features a playing time of 37-minutes long making it longer than your average EP. The songs are well written and remind me of classic metal with a definite modern touch to them. The band is fronted by the diverse vocal talents of Mistress Tina. She’s got a huge voice and has the ability to deliver many different ranges, styles and emotions. The cool thing about “The Awakening” is that it features various nuances that manages to keep things interesting. The songs are intricate, yet highly listenable – the musicians are not as much interested in showing off as they are in creating good, classy music. All of this becomes obvious with the opening number “Aquiescence of Illusion” that features some great guitar harmonies that would make Iron Maiden proud, and the great vocals of Mistress Tina are present as well. A great in-your-face guitar riff drives this track, which is heavy yet still melodic. A good first impression that really grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The moody “A Soul in Exile” is next and shows a different – more mellow – side to the band, in the beginning before getting heavier. The song features some cool tempo changes and is one of the highlights. The 8-minute “Iago” and “The Burning Martyr” are two more noteworthy tracks that highlights the bands remarkable abilities. The final number “In The Absence of Light” is a monumental achievement. The song clocks in at well over 11-minutes long and closes “The Awakening” in a big, epic, bombastic way. As far as epic songs go, this is one of the better ones I have heard in recent years. Lord Metadox on Guitar deserves a mention as well, as he delivers some truly inspired riffs and solos, which is part of what drives the band. All of these elements combined make DesDemon a true metal masterpiece that fans of classic power metal should check out. So why isn’t this band signed yet? I have a feeling that once their music gets out there, it will only be a matter of time.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Aquiescence of Illusion
- A Soul In Exile
- Iago
- The Burning Martyr
- In The Absence Of Light
Line Up
- Mistress Tina – Vocals
- Lord Metadox – Guitar & Vocals
- Nickolas Main Henriksen – Keyboards
- Pelagius – Bass
- Dan Rhodus – Drums
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site