Dagoba – Poseidon

I am very happy about Dagoba. Let me explain why. I have been a fan of them since the release of the first EP in 2001 called ”Release The Fury”. Many people back then, insisted on them being a typical and useless copy of bands like Fear Factory or even Strapping Young Lad. I guess they might not have seen it coming. This EP and the next same titled album were both a mass of raw power combined with relentless energy, ready to send you to the first wall in front of you with hundreds of kilometres speed. Once the collision was in, there would be nothing the same as you knew it. The good fact was that they didn’t stay on this, but they tried as much as they could to evolve their music as much as they could. And they finally did it.

Next to come was another great album called ”What Hell Is About” which was another great sample of Dagoba fury. Maintening the energy of the previous releases, it took the band a lot steps forward with a great future lying ahead. Then came what I call win/lose situation. The next album ”Face The Colossus” was the card that made the band gain more recognition, but songwise, it was not what I personally wanted to listen from Dagoba. There was something missing, the energy fell many degrees and even the vocals lacked a lot of nerve. Suddenly it all begun to seem strange and not so promising. The fact that I saw them live last year in their country France, gave me a hope that they could return with something very powerful.

And we are back to the present. The year is 2010 and they unleash their fourth full-length album called ”Poseidon”. And it is with great joy that I can tell you all that it is the album I’ve been waiting since 2006. The real Dagoba are back, this group with the energy flowing from everywhere inside the speakers, every minute, every second, every breath, is back for good. And someone can already tell this from the first palm beatings of ”Dead Lion Reef” that there’s going to be something special going on. We can listen to Shawter’s vocals sound enraged and confident, the riffs of Izakar are melting steel and the rhythm section of Werther and Franky Constanza make towers collapse. Especially Constanza is the dream drummer for each metalhead.

It’s amazing how improved he shows as years pass by, being the driving force to this tank that is about to destroy all enemies. Either being the master of pounding double-bass or even destroying toms and hi-hats with his hands, you’ll feel like he’s playing just next to you. Needless to say that headbanging is the only solution to this assault, unless you listen to the blastbeat of ”I Sea Red” in the middle of the song, where you are just left unable to do or say anything. Just take a look also to the amazing video clip of ”Black Smokers” and you’ll be convinced that Dagoba are now a strong act that will have the leading role to the next heavy metal occasions in the very near future.

The triumphant ending of ”Poseidon” with ”Waves Of Doom” is the proof that Dagoba were determined to deliver something strong which will remain to the conscience of metal fans as one very mature album. I believe it is going to be the beginning of an era that will cast them as one of the best bands of today. Combining the sound of ”Face The Colossus” with the raw energy of ”What Hell Is About” and adding incidents of the first two releases, ”Poseidon” is the perfect mixture of Dagoba’s past that will lead them to the future. If you start discovering them from this album, then it’s a good chance to know their previous works as well. In any case, you’ll be the ones who’ll have profit. Parfait!