A complete biography of the NY band Dimentianon would consume many chapters, and probably test the patience of most readers. The thumbnail sketch is that the band was born in 1995 under the name The Forgotten and then changed to Dimentianon seven years later after releasing a pair of demos, a debut album, and a split. In the ensuing years Dimentianon experienced numerous lineup changes, participated in many shows with numerous household names in the metalverse, and released four more albums, most recently the 2021 “comeback” album Dreaming Yuggoth, which emerged after an 11-year gap.
Fortunately, the lineup has remained stable since then, resulting in a new album set for co-release this year on April 14th by Symbol of Domination (Moldova), Paragon Records (US), and Pest Records (Romania). Entitled Chapter VI: Burning Rebirth, it’s an hour-long work that again features founding member and vocalist M, drummer and cellist Matt Hass, keyboardist and additional vocalist Don Zaros (Evoken), and guitarist/bassist Joe Fogarazzo (who also performs church organ on the record).
Once more, Dimentianon have interwoven ingredients from black, death, and doom metal, but the eclecticism of the stylistic alchemy doesn’t end there, as you’ll discover from the song “Black Angel” that we’re premiering today through a lyric video.
There’s probably a better word than “Arabian” or “Middle Eastern” for the exotic guitar melody that weaves its way through the opening moments of “Black Angel”, but those are what popped to mind here. There might also be better words than “horrifying” for the long gagging scream that appears, or “poisonous” for the grim sizzle of the guitar. All together, those ingredients, plus the ritual boom of the drums and the eerie whistle of the keys, quickly create a mood that’s ancient, mystical, and sinister.
The lyrics (uttered in a combination of cavernous growls, serrated-edge snarls, and chilling screams) are themselves ancient, mystical, and sinister. Around them the band carry forward that exotic opening melody while administering primitive, spine-shaking stomps of subterranean depth, heavy heaving riffage, neck-cracking drum grooves, and swirling astral synths.
Mid-paced at first, the momentum eventually slows and funereal bell-like tones ring out above immense chords of groaning hopelessness, casting a dismal pall on the mind. But the band also accelerate, drums hammering like pistons and the guitars swirling in mad and malicious fevers. What was once sinister begins to sound downright evil. And then that exotic melody returns, to worm its way into your head one last time.
The new album features cover art by Mystra, and it was mastered by Jos-Sothoth. Symbol of Domination, Paragon, and Pest will release it in a jewel-case CD edition with a 12-page booklet, as well as digitally.
Below, we’ve also included a stream of the album’s first single, “The Determining Line“. Like today’s song-premiere, it’s a multifaceted excursion. Perhaps even more chilling and supernatural in its sensations of gloom, it also includes melodic wailing vocals and wraith-like synths that add to the music’s ghostly, blood-congealing atmosphere.
The drum fills seize attention, as do the macabre harsh vocals, and the song includes pinging electronic keyboard accents drawn from musical styles outside metal. Scary, gothic stuff, but also perilously seductive….
ORDER:
https://symbolofdomination.bandcamp.com/album/sodp156-dimentianon-chapter-vi-burning-rebirth-2023
https://www.paragonrecords.org/
https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dimentianon-chapter-vi-burning-rebirth
DIMENTIANON:
https://dimentianon1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Dimentianon/