DIMMAN is a band that draws influence from various genres of music in order to integrate them into their own sound. As such, their latest EP “152” blends melodic death metal with upbeat electronic arrangements and some female vocals from new vocalist Jenna Kohtala. The EP was released on 18 October 2019 via Inverse Records.
In between all these sonic elements, the EP is quite eclectic in sound, while still being very heavy and aggressive. Industrial metal meets electronica in the opening track “Capsize Reverie” as it features an upbeat keyboard melody on top of a flurry of guitars and drums. Valtteri Halkola’s brutal and powerful growls are in stark contrast with both Jenna Kohtala’s beautiful cleans, as well as with the keyboard melody, giving a new definition to the concept of “beauty and the beast.” The second track, “152,” adds piano and acoustic guitar to the mix, thus breaking the music’s tension for a few moments, before diving back into pure melodeath madness for the middle part of the song. An acoustic guitar is used again towards the end, which leads into a crescendo of drums, electric guitars, and female vocals. I guess they learned a few tricks from fellow Finnish melodic death metal masters INSOMNIUM on how to transition from mellow moments to more aggressive passages, as “152” flows very neatly.
The instrumental track, “The History,” has a beautiful piano melody that runs under a heavy layer of guitars and drums, creating a very interesting contrast. The tracks veer a bit into black metal territory with crushing drums from Samppa Raittila, but that piano melody is keeping things afloat. The guitar lines are also very melodic and add to the overall cinematic vibe of the track. The atmospheric melodic metal track, “Treason,” features only Jenna Kohtala’s vocals and acts as the ballad on the EP. The guitar leads add volume and melody to the song, while the vocals are haunting and even a bit sorrowful. Closing track “Entity” ebbs and flows between melodic, piano-driven soundscapes and intense, brooding melodeath sections. Since both Valtteri Halkola and Jenna Kohtala share vocal duties, this song feels more like a duet than anything else.
The EP offers a lot of variation over its 22-minute run time, which usually points to a band that has a lot of ideas that they want to experiment with, and which, in turn, led to music that feels fresh and exciting. Fans of melodic death metal will certainly appreciate the songs on display here as DIMMAN puts an invigorating twist on the genre.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. Capsized Reverie
2. 152
3. The History
4. Treason
5. Entity
Lineup
Jenna Kohtala – Clean Vocals
Valtteri Halkola – Harsh Vocals
Jaakko Yli-Sorvari – Lead Guitar
Mikael Haapala – Rhythm Guitar
Elias Halkola – Bass
Samppa Raittila – Drums
Label
Inverse Records
Links
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