Independent Release
Review By Tony Cannella
From Spain, the band is called Döxa. On their debut, “Once… and for All”, they present a mish-mash of styles ranging from symphonic metal to Gothic Metal, Folk Metal, Power Metal and even some Death Metal.You would think that with such a wide scope, “Once… and for All” would be an unlistenable mess. Thankfully, that is absolutely not the case. Döxa manages to record a coherent and infinitely enjoyable debut and one that in good conscience I would highly recommend to anyone who might listen. Döxa is the brain child of ex-Darksun members Victor Fernandez and Juan B. Rodriguez. Shortly after their formation the band was joined by female vocalist Dina Nasser. “Once… and for All” features a wide list of guest musicians and the band features several different singing styles (I counted at least three… maybe four). The input of the guests is quite big and it gives each song it’s own individual feel. “Eternal Awakenings” kicks things into high gear with a power metal vibe. This song reminded me a bit of Kamelot and features predominantly clean male vocals. Döxa brings the tempo down a bit with the piano opening of “The Devil in Love” before the song gets heavier and evolves into a like-able power metal tune. The vocals are split between the operatic style of Dina Nasser and the aggressive Death Metal delivery of Victor Fernandez. This song is also quite melodic, which is a common thread throughout the majority of the CD. The Gothic “Standing For Your Wishes” is next and has a bit of a Moonspell vibe. “The Spirit of the Misteltoe” is where Döxa show off their Folk-ish influences. This is a fast paced up-tempo and musically appealing track that is impossible to stand still for. Döxa continues to deliver some solid and interesting music on the tracks: “To Die Only Once”, “Heaven Is Frozen”, “One Evil Song for Mrs. Goodness!” and “A Drop of Eternity”. Spain has become such a great country in producing top-notch metal in the last few years. Döxa are a band that doesn’t rely on one style of metal and that is a huge strength on their stellar debut.
Rating – 87/100
Tracklist
- Eternal Awakenings
- The Devil in Love
- Standing for Your Wishes
- A Very Strange Agony
- To Die Only One
- The Spirit of Mistletoe
- Sins of Symmetry
- Heaven is Frozen
- One Evil Song for Mrs.Goodness!
- A Drop of Eternity
Line Up
- Dina Nasser – Vocals
- Daniel González Suárez – Vocals
- Juan B. Rodríguez – Guitar
- Victor Fernández – Keyboards, Vocals
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Site