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recorded 2003 at the Littlecreek studio

review  by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo____    

I remember well when i listened to this Demo "mini" CD Black Domain a couple of months ago: the impression i got from the very first notes  was "oh yes  it seems a good explosive and vibrant Black" , so you can imagine the surprise when very soon, from a certain classic blasting Black,  something a bit different  appeared , coming  out  from the Black shell: a  well built up ,  excellent and enthralling Melodic Death always sung with unmistakable Black tonalities which faded again  into Death . Heavy and crackling. The morphing between Black and Melodic Death, with some admittance to  Heavy  is really astounding , people! if you amalgamate the concept expressed by Mystic Circle with the one of Kataklysm you can have in a certain degree the picture of the basic idea which seems to involve Darkmoon. Like i was mentioning, the vocals are mixed too indeed:  rough-tempered Black screaming , and potent warm growling in Death style.   I am speaking about the song Winds of Death which is imo such an enjoyable and brilliant track . The best of this beautiful demo which is really remarkable. And the ability of this Swiss band is there to be "touched" by your fingertips and to be listened with attention (download Wind of Death on Darkmoon's website and it is a pity cause this CD should dwell in your stereo!) . After a very short surreal impending  and a bit mechanical intro which lasts only 27 seconds, Wind of Death takes the role of the overwhelming opener. Strong elastic guitars build a groovy background while pulsing drums  give the proper push to the motor providing  bass shots and dry, but agreeable, snares with proper use of cymbals.  All in all the general musicscape effect is dark and roaring,  catchy , underlined by vocals in tension. 

Drowning is another impressive track  full of rhythm, focalized on a heavy mid tempo, full of sadness with a drop  of Gothic metal,  the guitars  span between an hyperactive tonality and dreamful almost acoustic moments. The song is dynamic and catchy enough. here Darkmoon really provide a kind of summary of all Dark influences, well melt in an only essence.

The titletrack Dark Domain begins with raw vocals , sad acoustic -like guitars and explodes in a galloping phrase which is able to expand itself slowing down, where it gets the feature of an energetic and obscure hymn . Always present is a note of depression, of fighting crying nostalgia. Sudden comes the end with a tender touch of guitar echo. 

Terror..., well this track has put me on the ropes.  It is  interesting ,  but goes out of the chorus,  it is different from  the general atmosphere seen till now, though it doesn't seem at once. The vocals give a mighty growling support , the rhythm is heavy , an assault of sound which reaches also fast moments, but why this track , in spite of its external Black /Death painting, sounds so different, after all. Cause  it has influences coming from  thrash and hardcore?  Knowing that this CD has been forged  under the excellent direction given by V.O. Pulver and  Franky Winkelmann from Gurd and that it was recorded this year at the Littlecreek studio (Gurd, Destruction) , well in this track i feel the spicing up of rhythms which belong more to the direction Gurd/Tankard. Anyway we can say that Dark Domain closes giving a different feeling , and from the moment that the song is not bad and is catchy too,  this can be seen as enrichment.    

So Darkmoon transmit an emotional  wall of sound , empowered  by not banal  lyrics, and express an incredible  talent . After  the previous 2 works  "Grief" and "Remains" , after having been included in the "mythical" collection of the sampler called "Unerhört- Unerhört - Die besten Bands ohne Deal" (Rock Hard magazine) , Darkmoon give, with Black Domain,  an idea of how intense, able, mature the Swiss underground  can be, in particular when supported by nice  musical ideas and an excellent production.

This year they were engaged at the Z7 Metal dayz open air and now  the Metal Forces VI is waiting. And me too, cause i will attend that concert: I only hope that they  are live as persuasive as they appear  to be in  this CD. Anyway the cohesion of the band (who plays since 1997 with the same line -up) seems to be  well run in.

 Though the tracks are practically only 4, i cannot rate this enjoyable cavalcade of dark strong "banging - metalcharge" less than 8.8 points out of 10. When a band is really good is really good. Yes, yes, in spite of some, little , imperfections here and there, and some roughness to be polished , this is one of the best underground bands i personally have ever heard, with one of the best round soundscapes. All those who calculate a  mathematical average among thousand factors when they have to rate a work , why they don't admit that they are failed bookkeepers? I let my blood speak, the atmosphere created , the general impact, the thundering and the cohesion , and the capacity to transmit a feeling , a shiver, an energetic contribution, a word, a thought, included obviously the cold ability in playing and singing in a group. And Darkmoon can actually do all this. They could become really giant in the hands of a proper label. A whole new  album done this way , eh? not a bad idea! 

rating:  8.8/10