Dymytry – Five Angry Men
Release Date: 26th January 2024
Label: AFM Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Power Metal, Melodic Euro-Metal, Nu-Metal, Alternative Metal.
FFO: Nightwish, Powerwolf, Mushroomhead, Crematory, Five Finger Death Punch.
Review By: Metal Miguel
The band that hails from Czechia are not new to the scene and their new album has certainly shown they are familiar with what comes with producing a solid sounding album for the masses and bringing their slant on metal from mainland Europe to those who want a more melodic and story-based style of music for their ears.
To be honest, I’m still not sure what to make of it all, and I’ve given it a good few listens and I always try to be objective as well as subjective about it without being unnecessarily rude about it. It has all the style of melodic metal and, indeed, symphonic style metal that we’ve had from Nightwish, Epica and the likes, but that isn’t to say they are similar, I just need a starting point to help me articulate what it is I like or don’t like about this format. Any track on this album wouldn’t be out of place at the Eurovision Song Contest, as each track has an anthemic quality about it and that the lyrics all seem to chant about the world, its issues, the past and how modern folks haven’t learned from said past. I’m sure everyone will hear something it reminds them of, from older and epic style bands from the 80s and 90s and more current power metal style bands.
It’s not bad, I just haven’t the appetite for that anthemic style, march into the metaphorical dragon’s cave to do battle with the ancestors of our failed decisions. Or something like that, and you only have to listen to the track Legends Never Die as every story trope for epic, thought-provoking, battles of civilisation that we listen to as we stand on a high ground raising our fist to the skies to tell those who have made the bad decisions, yet we suffer those consequences of political decisions made on our behalf – and I get it, I really do, but this music is much like the art-house cinema of the metal world; it has elements that are indeed great, make you think and enjoy it, but other parts are lost in translation or are lost within the bigger narrative that isn’t always obvious.
It’s well produced and a balanced musical score to many a short story that is clearly important to the band and their politics. Vocals are front and centre, they lead the charge with well-produced guitars and rhythm section that carries the whole thing along on top of this style that has the premise of “ye olde exploits of a sacred man” that wouldn’t be amiss in any spirit quest to the deepest darkest bowls of a mystical and spiritual forest or mountain top.
(3 / 5)
