Band: Dagon
Title: Terraphobic
Label: Bombworks Records
Distribution: Bertus
Release date: September 2009
Review: CD

Terraphobic is the second Bombworks-release by Dagon, a quartet hailing from Lansing, Michigan. This new album was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Random Awesome Studio earlier this year and goes further in the spirit of debut full length album Paranormal Ichthyology, released in 2006. And that’s positive information!
The band creates a form of extreme Thrash, yet rather unique and unusual. This certainly goes for the conceptual lyrics, which are original and intelligent. Yet also musically Dagon’s uncompromising approach reveals a modest excellence. The very technical tracks vary a lot, they are filled with breaks and tempo-changes, and every single instrument has a leading role. The vocals interact between somewhat guttural and blackened screams and a deep grunt, and the equilibrium between them both is in perfect balance. Every single moment is another pleasure to hear because of the many subtle layers and the energetic drive behind every song. And that’s correct, because all details fit well together. And what’s more, Dagon combine the best elements from other styles (Death Metal, old school Thrash ‘n’ Roll, Heavy Metal) bands, yet they do their own thing with it. Influences are (following the label’s information) Dark Tranquillity, Iron Maiden, Hypocrisy and Slayer, which seems pretty accurate, which makes this great album recommendable to a wide audience of open-minded fans of Thrash, Death and Black Metal.

88/100

Ivan Tibos.