Band: Dedicted

Title: Argonauts

Label: Shiver Records

Distribution: LSP Company

Release date: May 2008

Review: CD

Since the early years, Belgium has been playing a small yet important role in the international Death (and Black) Metal scene. Belgium is not only known for its highly appreciated festivals and qualitative bands; also some labels are of an extremely great importance when it comes to the promotion of Belgian material. Shiver Records / LSP Company are protagonists in this case. The first one did already exist long ago (as from 1995, in fact) and since a few years, this label takes care of the release of superb material by superb (Belgian) bands; think: Battalion , Suhrim , Neverlight Horizon , Axamenta , Thurisaz , Moker , Dagorlad and so on. Shiver Records did also recently sign Dedicted , which results in the release of Argonauts , having duration of forty two minutes. Dedicted is a band that will certainly gain attention in the international scene because of their worldly Death Metal-approach. The somewhat catchy tracks are pretty varying in melody and tempo, and also vocally the whole goes way beyond some average trans-European Death Metal formations. Besides, the tracks are very technical (riffs and rhythm section), which might remind you to, for example, Gojira or Coroner . In a way, there's also a certain link to bands as Unearth and In Flames , and I'm sure also Metalcore-fans can / will appreciate this release, that's for sure. One remark, however: sometimes I get the feeling I might have heard it all (or at least some pieces) before, even though Dedicted isn't any other band's copycat. Anyway, Argonauts was recorded with former Channel Zero / Sons Of Jonathas -member Xavier Carion at his Jonathas Studio ( Resistance , Code Red , Sengir , Manic Movement , Trouble Agency etc) , and the mix was taken care of by Impious 's Valle Adzic . Finally: Argonauts features a guest appearance by Hacride 's Adrien Grosset.

80/100

Ivan Tibos.