| CD REVIEW Dark Reign |
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Band : Dark Reign This Amsterdam based act (I know of 3 other acts that used to go by the same name, namely a death Metal act from Modena, Italy, a Death/ Grind band from Houston, Texas...and a band from La Crescenta, California, who changed their name to Eminent after releasing a 2005 demo – the latter are still active) was founded in 2002, and from the beginning described its music as Melodic Death Metal with a touch of Thrash and a sniff of Doom. The history of the band was not without some bump 'n' grind! In September 2002 guitarist Ed van Dugteren and drummer Henk Biesterveld decide to leave their old band and start something new. Looking for a bassist, the twosome soon find Maarten Groeneveld, whom has guitarist David “Ko” Paais as a neighbor. The instrumental part of the line-up complete, the quartet starts rehearsing for a couple of months before finding Mathijs Stegeman as their vocal frontman. Because everyone has a different musical background (influences range from old school bands such as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Machine Head and Sepultura to bands of a later generation such as lamb Of God, Scar Symmetry, All That Remains, and even Opeth) a unique blend of Metal is created. In the beginning the band still twiddles around with old songs by Henk, Ed, and David, but soon enough the band starts to write completely new songs. Although each separate member already had stage experiences, the first gig in a small venue is postponed until the end of March 2003. Reactions are positive, so the guys understand what they do is good. And after the band's second gig (this time at the more prestigious P60 in Amstelveen), they are called back for an encore! Early November 2003 the band enters the studio with producer Hans van Kampen and records 3 songs. Adding a live track recorded during their P60 concert, the self-titled demo is released that same month. During 2004 DR became second at the Amstelveense Popprijs band competition. The track “Why This Life” appeared on the January 2005 released Fearless Records compilation album Blown To Pieces. In February 2005 the band returned to Raoul Music Studios to record the 8-track Prisoner Of Imagination, again with van Kampen behind the knobs. Again, the demo is released in the same month. In 2006 the band played at the Aaltjes Rock festival (alongside Dutch bands Asrai, the Lucifer Principle, Heidevolk, and German Thrash Metal masters Holy Moses). Everything seemed to be on the up...but things were a-brewing underfoot! In 2008 four of the original band members decided to quit due to personal circumstances, leaving David as the only one to hold the fort. The latter wasn't ready yet to throw in the towel and decided to reform the band from scratch. Several months later in early 2009 the band was reborn with a line-up comprising singer Sergio (Smoke) Rostant-Daniël, second guitarist Mark van der Giessen, bassist Branislav Plesa. For the band's drummer, Daniel turned to Hans van Kampen...a very tactical move, as the band now was certain of easy access to a recording studio. And see, the band indeed took its time working on their official debut EP, recording well into 2010. During that year the track “Premonition” already appeared on two compilation albums (first on the soundtrack of the movie An Alchemist's Grindhouse, next on the Imperative Music sampler Imperative Music Vol. IV). When you'll listen to the 5 songs (and you can find all of 'em in un-mastered version at (www.) myspace.com/darkreign1, where the band also posted live videos of 3 of those songs plus of another one, and a studio report of the EP's recordings) you'll find a feeling for good Heavy Metal with a Progressive feel is still the basis of all DR music (oh sure, the Thrash passages and slowed Doom moments are still there too), and in the vocal department the somewhat Black-ish Sergio get frequent backings of one of the other guys in a more growled mode. Nice stuff indeed! As with the Annihilation album, the UK release was on June 27. 90/100 Tony. |
