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"DOMI<>NATION" - Reviews
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Strutter Magazine (9/10p)
[Written: 2004]
The Swedish melodic Power Metalband MORIFADE returns with their 3rd CD titled "Domi<>nation" and right from the start you can clearly hear they have progressed. The new CD is probably their best album so far, with a big production (by Andy La Rocque of KING DIAMOND) and a lot of sensational songs. Musically it is in the STRATOVARIUS style, and after playing it a couple of times I am quite sure of myself to say that this new MORIFADE album is as good as both STRATOVARIUS albums from 2003! Opener "Parallels" for example is a fantastic uptempo Melodic Power Metal song with a very strong catchy chorus. The band also reminds me a bit of SUPREME MAJESTY and even NOCTURNAL RITES comes to mind sometimes, so this is definitely high quality Melodic Power Metal. Other highlights include "Clarity", "Panopticon" and "The rising". The CD also included a very impressive videoclip of the song "Lost within a shade", while the limited digipack comes with 5 bonustracks, not included on the normal CD. Concluded, this is a must-have for fans of Melodic Power Metal!
- Gabor Kleinbloesem
Metal Covenant (8,5/10p)
[Written: June 2004]
Domi<>Nation marks the third instalment in the discography (disregarding their first MCD Across the Starlit Sky) of Swedish melodic power metal act Morifade and actually also their first appearance here on Metal Covenant. The band was formed over a decade ago but it wasn't until about five years later that their first studio recorded album, Possession of Power, was released. However, Domi<>Nation is a dark and thematic concept album based on the books 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and revolves around a possible future society where man is constantly monitored and controlled by the state. The album was produced by King Diamond guitarist Andy Larocque at Los Angered Studio in Gothenburg and his efforts doubtlessly marks this CD as the best produced one so far in the band discography. Absolutely splendid! The line-up has had some reinforcements since the previous Imaginarium too as former Tad Morose keyboarder Fredrik Eriksson has joined the ranks and his performance really makes a difference.
The Domi<>Nation melodic metal odyssey kicks into gear with the fast driven Parallels where an introductory impressive guitar riffage immediately hints that this album compiles some serious metal material and takes a firm but at the same time pleasant stranglehold. Accompanied by quite intense and dramatic keyboard work the song maintains its original speedy pace and of course also presents a very catchy and sing along friendly refrain. The guitar work sends serious nods to something Timo Tolkki would have produced in the highlight Stratovarius era around Epsiode and Visions and the entire song actually reminds quite much of that Finnish metal act and also some Edguy tendencies can be traced but the keyboards here are more in focus which also goes for the album as a whole.
The next outing, A Silent Revolution, begins with a calmer introduction before the double kegs once again are introduced and right along the Morifade song writing concept another memorable chorus strikes home. And so it more or less continues all the way and Domi<>Nation scores some numerous major cuts but I'll only individually mention those two. Throughout this whole issue we are treated to a solid mix of melodic progressive power metal that is catchy, full of great riffs, impressive keys, sing-along friendly melodies and some very memorable and infectious choruses and above all- a sovereign variety between the songs. Many innovative hours have been used on the composing schedule and resulted in some very creative decisions. On this album Morifade never rely on just one simple formula alone in neither song structure nor tempo and Domi<>Nation most certainly ends up as one of the most versatile metal experiences I've had recently. The band has definitely found very clever music solutions and many very well thought through and arranged passages that involve both instrumental and vocal instalments.
The guitar/keyboard interactions work splendidly together without any of the instruments stealing the show from one another when all is said and done and without having a very unique voice of any sort, Stefan Peterson's vocal delivery is still not close to copycatting or close resembling any other metal singer out there. That said, all the prime armaments in the Morifade arsenal of this time have been listed and I must admit that I'm way more than satisfied with the final result. The only real drawbacks are that the whole affair ends a little too fast and the vocals don't quite catapult the album to real stardom. With the capacity of this band a more epic and elongated cut would have been a real mind blowing manoeuvre and the vocals- however above average and also still quite unique- still sound perhaps a little too much standard and stops this show from pushing into the real high grade area.
But regardless of that and the fact that Morifade have taken a huge portion of the inherent Swedish melodic progressive/power metal into their fold I'd say that Domi<>Nation not only beckons to fans of that specific metal department where bands like Freternia and Nocturnal Rites also dwell but will most certainly also attract more deeply committed metal followers. Adherents of especially Edguy and Stratovarius in their better days will also have many a fine listening experience with this album and also gladly reiterate their action. Without ending up among the top 10 so far this year though Domi<>Nation is still a very good album that not for a long time will retire its highly convincingly listening factor. So I guess there's nothing more to do here except issue the following recommendation:
No try- just buy!
Metal Covenant recommends!!
- Mat
The Metal Observer [III] (8,5/10p)
[Written: May 2004]
Ah, this is such refreshing music in the Power Metal scene that I would want to hear more bands use their creative juices rather than copy their peers. MORIFADE take Power Metal to a different level. The concept of the CD here is a combination of H.G. Wells book "1984" and "Brave New World" and it talks about how we live in a scary society today where the government is trying to control our every step. It may be an intriguing concept for a book, but we are very close to living this horrific reality if you ask me.
The keyboard work for starters is very awkward, but cool in "Parallels". It's up beat Power Metal, but with a slight twist. The vocals from Stefan are not the typical high pitch that you are normally used to hearing. "A Silent Revolution" has a more Progressive vibe with the more neo-classical keyboard work and the music is more mid-paced this time around. The guitars pack a punch, but none of the instruments utilized here go over the top. It's well paced and things continue to sound exciting and fun. Not for one moment will you hear the German Power Metal sound. It goes far beyond that and the guitar solo here is pretty awesome. There is a lot of emotion going on there. The music is very dark, but has to be this way because it sets the mood of the CD.
It seems like after the first track that was more Power Metal oriented, the band switches to a more moody Progressive mode and it works fine. It's not like the band does a complete 180-degree turn here. It all blends well here. Each track just gets more enticing as time moves on and that's a good thing. The guys don't really repeat themselves like so many others do on each CD. The band tries to create something a little different on each track. While each track may not be 100% unique, there is enough of a difference to hear on each one and they all stand out unlike some Power Metal CDs like METALIUM or dare I say.PRIMAL FEAR. What MORIFADE creates is a CD that is worthy of 70 minutes of your time. It's so well worth it that you have no idea until you listen for yourself. There is nothing monotonous about this latest masterpiece.
- Joe
Metal Vision (7,2/10p)
[Written: 2004]
Groups like Arise, Axenstar, The Project Hate MCMXCIX and Morifade have recently shown that they are developing their music and talent in the right direction and for some reason they just makes me proud of Sweden. The latter mentioned group is of special interest here since this review deals with their latest studio work, "Domi<>nation". Morifade released "Possesion Of Power" in 1999 and if I remember correctly it was a memorable release. At that time Morifade played typical power metal, as typical as it could be. Even though the song structures were pretty basic, many of the songs sounded really well - for being a debut album that is. However, it was one thing that was slightly lacking - the vocal performance of Stefan Petersson. He couldn't really master his voice back then, and it made me a bit worried what to expect from future Morifade releases. Anyway, a few years passed, and after having signed a new record deal their second album entitled "Imaginarium" was released. At that time their music had developed to a more mature stage but it wasn't for their benefit. It didn't take many minutes to realise that Stefan had been practicing and immediate sounded much more powerful. But the songs... what the hell had happened to the songs? Sure, a few cool ones could be found, such as "Lost Within A Shade", "Nevermore" and "The Secrecy". But overall, I wasn't satisfied with "Imaginarium" and this made me worried, again. Now that I've listened to their third release, entitled "Domi<>nation", I can finally breath out. With this album they are displaying their most interesting songs to date. It has actually been ready for almost a year but due to problems with their record label Karmageddon Media (formerly Hammerheart Records) it's been on hold - until now. As far as I know, this is their first concept album and it's based on two novels; "1984" by George Orwell and "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley. Once again they have developed their song writing skills and this time it has taken a more progressive edge. The opening riff of the first song is a little predictable since it could have been picked up from optional HammerFall song. Of course it turns into a typical Morifade tune as the chorus hits you. But does it sound good? Yes, damn it. I never seem to grow tired of listening to this type of music and I never hope I'll for that matter. Stefan is continuing to develop and enhance his voice, this time the darker area of it. Just listen to the fourth track; "Words I Never Speak" with its sombre atmosphere and you'll see what I'm talking about. Of course - they can go even further and write even more personal songs but for the time being - I'm more than happy with this album. "Domi<>nation" is nothing else than an excellent release from these Swedes and for the first time I don't have to worry about the future of Morifade.
- Peter Eliasson
Metal-Rules (4/5p)
[Written: April 2004]
Finally get to hear these guys and it only took me six years... What a waste! I could have enjoyed all five of their previous releases by now! Better late than never I suppose.
Morifade are an establish metal act from Sweden with a couple of EP's and a couple of full-length CD's under their belts. Upon first listen the band was propelled high into my personal ranks based on their traditional, powerful progressive tinged sound. Reminiscent of older acts like Tad Morose and Morgana LeFey, Morifade sit nicely beside their contemporaries like young guns Space Odyessy, Star One and Wuthering Heights.
Morifade have made a clever move and stepped away from the very traditional fantasy images and themes of the first years into a dark, thematic album based on the writings of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. Although the lyrics are not included in the liner notes, the enunciation of the powerful singer, Stefan Petersson makes it easy to follow the interesting and intelligent lyrics. He sits very comfortably in the mid-range but can hit a few high notes when he needs to.
The band clearly prescribes to the adage, "If it's not broken, don't fix it" as the band utilized Andy LaRoque for the third time in a row and has maintained a stable line-up over the past five years or so. I have no comparison with the bands previous releases but I do like the production a lot. It's quite dense with twin guitar attack and keyboards layered throughout. A good mix helps project the heaviness of the songs, it certainly doesn't fall in the happy metal realm. The band as mentioned have dropped the fantasy elements to a large degree which might help them distinguish themselves from a large number of fantasy inspired true metal bands out there today.
The CD "proper" has about 45 minutes of fantastic, catchy and engaging , prog-power songs but also has a few extra nice features. Essentially the band has added the four track "Cast A Spell" EP from 2000, onto the disc. There are three originals, and a fairly obscure cover from a band called Phenomena, who were a mid 80's all-star project featuring guys from Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and so on. Cool choice, considering by an odd coincidence I listened to the Phenomena album the same day I first heard Domination. The band also throw on a Helloween cover tune as well. It is a punchy version of "Judas" from the Keepers of Jericho Tribute from a few years back.
There is also a video for the cut "Lost Within A Shade" which isn't actually on Domination, but was the lead off single from their last album, Imaginarium! Three bonus treats (EP, cover tune, Video) to end off the CD. All those extras are great but the first nine "new" songs stand up on their own, each with it's own flavour, some double kick in places, (but never over-utilized) lots of great solos (but not too shredding) and the aforementioned hints of keyboards for effect.
I'm extremely impressed and really enjoy the songs on this (soon to be?) classic, metal album. We need more bands like this. Morifade's domination of my ears is complete!
- JP
In Depth (7/10p)
[Written: April 2004]
For the most part, band have been 3, 4, or 5 members strong.
Occasionally you'll get one with just 2 (or even 1). Then again you have some that have 9 or more!
6 isn't a usually recognized number but then again Morifade doesn't come across as a band in the "norm" if you will. Their latest "Domi-Nation" kicks off with "Paralells" and right away you'll notice two things.
Fredrik Eriksson on keys is going to be a major player in the structure of this album and lead vocalist Stefan Petersson has a WIDE range (nearing that of Rob Halford at times! That same solid scream appears again, quite prominently on "Erase" as well). Structure in general is another strong point in Morifade.
The second track, "Silent Revolution" builds itself with a long, rather low key intro, accompanied by some softly layered vocals by Petersson. "Second Coming" has quite the short and quick riff thanks to guitarists Jesper Johansson and Robin Arnell. "Words I Never Speak" slows down to a sludge n trudge pace but is quite effective and in some ways, reminiscent of a newer style King Diamond musical effort.
(think MUSIC, not the vocal aspect for this one) Of course the traditional powermetal side has come out by the time "Clarity (Fragments Of A Dream)", "Rising", have had their chance to feast upon your hearing. Classical metal? Well something like that. You'll be saying the same thing on "Panopticon" after hearing the main keyboard progression. Talk about going to extremes?! Check out the changes on "Memorys End"!
Gotta love the giant group chorus where everyone belts it out that is a trademark in that mystical, majestical powermetal sound. "Cast A Spell", and "As Time Decides" have that aforementioned chorus.
"Tomorrow Knows" busts out with some seriously heavy riffs at a maddening pace while "Dance With The Devil" has a "playing in an empty hall" echo effect on it. As it began, so it ends. "Judas" rounds out the album with Solid song structure with some well placed keys. The production is TOP NOTCH and SHINES where it was meant to shine. This thanks in part to the production and engineering talents of the one and only Andy LaRoque! The musicianship is excellent on the part of Morifade.
The foundation laid down by Henrik Weimedal (bass) and Kim Arnell (drums) is unreal!
Another solid, well thought out and structured album released by the Candelight USA label!
- Anthony Pagano
Sea of Tranquility (4,5/5p)
[Written: April 2004]
Morifade finally gets a chance to show American metal fans that Tad Morose isn't the only Swedish band deserving of their attention in early 2004. (Never mind that Morifade keyboard player Fredrik "Frippe" Eriksson was once a member of Tad Morose.) DomiNation, Morifade's third full-length CD but the first one readily available in the United States, is a melodic progressive-metal tour de force branded with rousing group vocals, aggressive song structures and complex instrumentation.
Together since 1992(!), Morifade loosely based DomiNation on the classic science-fiction novels 1984 and Brave New World to paint a dark and surreal portrait of the future. Rife with religious imagery, DomiNation boasts power chords galore, keyboard intros that explode into atypical power-metal anthems and intelligent lyrics that actually make sense - all of which should propel DomiNation to the top of your listening list, especially if you think Queensryche stopped making decent albums after (or even before) Empire, prefer mid-tempo Iron Maiden over the faster stuff, consider Tad Morose's Modus Vivendi one of the best metal albums of 2004 and dig Evergrey but could do without a bit of the gloom.
Get this, and then go in search of the band's back-catalog.
- Michael Popke
Live 4 Metal
[Written: March 2004]
Hey, here's a band from Sweden! Oh wait, isn't every metal band from Sweden nowadays?
Sorry, I can't help it; I'm continually amazed at the amount of metal this country churns out.
The good news is that Morifade's Domination is not Swedish melodic death metal.
Not that SMDM is a bad thing; it's just nice to hear a different style of music being created by the Swedes. Domination is exceptionally well-played melodic heavy metal. The vocals are first rate, the musicianship impeccable, and the songs distinct and memorable. Andy La Rocque's production only adds to the depth and majesty of the release. I must admit that I got tired of it after 45 minutes.
As much I appreciate the material, my hefty amount of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder makes 69 minutes of prog power more than I can deal with in one sitting. Fortunately, you calmer melodic metal folks will have a field day absorbing the excellence of Domination.
The lyrical content, written by vocalist Stefan Petersson, is based on the futuristic watershed novels 1984 and Brave New World. I've read the books, so I'll let somebody else delve into the lyrics and tell me about them later. What makes this album work is an outstanding combination of heaviness and melody.
The riffs are gigantic and the guitar solos are fucking amazing.
In the way of individual tracks, let's start with "Parallels."
The song moves from some ruthless riffery with sweet keyboard work then blasts off into power metal space. Even with the lush backing vocals, the weight of the axe crunch stays at the forefront.
Crushing guitars also abound on "A Silent Revolution" and the guitar/synth harmonies are mixed in a way that brings Children of Bodom to mind.
The chorus on "The Second Coming" is simply wonderful and the synth solo on "Clarity" is even better.
The piano on "Panopticon" is beautiful, cold, and dark, creating a surprisingly heavy vibe.
"The Rising" shows the band sounding more like Stratovarius than anything else, not necessarily a good thing in my book, but surely a delicious delight for the power metal legions.
Personally, I thought the faster material had the biggest impact, no doubt owing to my rattlehead mentality. As I alluded to earlier, I was bouncing off the walls after 10 songs, but you can take that with a grain of salt. Morifade hit the mark on this one.
- Scott
Unbound Zine (5/5p)
[Written: March 2004]
I say it a lot that I'm not exactly the biggest power metal fan there ever was, so it takes a damn solid album for me to take notice of a power metal band that is new to me. Morifade not only made me take notice, they are also pretty close to the best power metal band I've ever heard.
Morifade play an upbeat style of power metal that is similar in style to bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray. It's melodic, fairly fast at times, and actually possibly a bit more aggressive then a lot of power metal. They seem to enjoy playing faster and aren't really into showing off their technical chops just for the hell of it. They do have a few progressive elements to their sound every now and again, but for the most part it's pretty straight forward. I wouldn't go as far as calling them a 'safe' band, but they also don't really stray very much outside out the usual power metal box.
As with most power metal, epic and memorable choruses are a big part of this bands sound. These are actually some of the catchiest choruses I have ever heard. They manage to keep things heavy, and the choruses while catchy, definitely aren't what I would consider cheesy. They work within the overall concept of the songs and don't seem forced at all.
The production sounds so good I would probably run out of adjectives if I tried to fully explain how much I enjoy it. Let's just say that it's crystal clear, and has a very heavy guitar tone, especially for a power metal band. Every little nuance of the bands sound comes through and this is an album that will makes your ears happy. I knew that this was going to sound like a million bucks when I read that Andy LaRocque produced, and I definitely wasn't disappointed.
I could definitely see fans of Helloween, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, and Hammerfall being able to get into this. Morifade shares a lot of common ground with these bands, but definitely has enough originality to stand apart from them as well.
- Mike Hochins
Daredevil Magazine (7/7p)
[Written: March 2004]
Sometimes, I feel I need to kick my own ass for not finding out about some great bands sooner, and Morifade are definitely one of those cases for me. These guys have been putting out records for a while now and this is sadly my first experience with them but better late than never! This is epic power metal all the way, with catchy as hell songwriting and more melody than you can shake a stick at. This is really reminding me of Blind Guardian with its use of soaring vocals, complete with harmonies and some excellent use of keyboard and guitar interplay. The melodies present here are downright awe inspiring and I find myself singing the choruses of several of these songs in my head over and over again (yes, its that damn catchy! Just try and get "Panopticon" out of your head). There's a lot of variety present here with some truly progressive songwriting with a lot of different parts where each instrument gets a chance to shine and I have to repeat that the riffs and solos here are extremely powerful and perfectly complemented by the epic keyboards. The whole thing is topped off with a flawless production that makes this record sound huge. All fans of power metal definitely need to check Morifade out and find out what they've been missing. If you dig Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray and Iced Earth, your ship of gold has come in!
- JS
The Temple of Metal
[Written: March 2004]
Swedish act Morifade strikes back with their third full length album. Following the very good "Imaginarium" the band returns with the obscure titled album "DOMI<>NATION". The album is a loose concept based upon two books, "1984" by George Orwell and "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxleya and is about the surveillance society we're approaching more and more. Apropos as never before the theme of "DOMI<>NATION" is really interesting.
For those who followed the band through the years will realize that this album is not only their heavier work but also the best up to date. Power metal with some prog elements, fine compositions and above all an amazing performance by vocalist Stefan Petersson. Rough at times but melodic whenever is necessary, Morifade delivers amazing compositions that will satisfy even the most distrustful metalhead!
Avoiding the TRAGIC MISTAKE most power metal acts fall in, trying to sound ultrasonic most of the time with the typical "dapa-doupa" on the drumming and the screaming "help me, they are pulling my nails one by one" vocals, they unveil many fine melodic lines without sounding "light" as a BUD beer. This is partially also achieved with the clever use of the keyboards.
"DOMI<>NATION" comes with lovely artwork and delicate production. There's also a digipack version plus a Japan version with one bonus track. It will satisfy every single fan of power metal with no doubt.
- Michael Dalakos
Tartarean Desire (8/10p)
[Written: March 2004]
Morifade has grown to become one of the leading progressive / power metal bands in Europe and now they have finished their third album "Domi<>nation" which was recorded by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque at Los Angered Studio in Gothenburg. The production is beyond criticism, the instrumental skills are shining through the entire album clearer than ever before and every fan of melodic power metal should enjoy this album as much as their previous releases. Just listen to the intro riffing of the second track "A Silent Revolution" and let it take you on a journey far from this world. I do have one objection concerning the production though as I would have liked this song in particular to sound clearer and heavier but I guess the band is putting some effort into keeping their large Japanese fanbase and perhaps this is what they like best in the land of the rising sun. This song is nonetheless one of the best on this album. I would say that this album is slightly more progressive and intense than previous efforts but they have still managed to keep the song writing at a very high level which is what have taken them this far in their career. I am glad that we have bands like Morifade who have blown some fresh air into the power metal scene. Stand-out tracks: "A Silent Revolution", "Panopticon", "Erase".
- Vincent Eldefors
The Metal Observer [II] (8/10p)
[Written: February 2004]
I know MORIFADE for almost seven years now, ever since they had released their first MCD "Across The Starlit Sky". In these few years the band from Vikingstad has come quite some way, with three complete albums by now, while "Domi<>Nation" is the eagerly awaited new long player. Why eagerly awaited? Well, because MORIFADE for years now stand for excellent Power Metal and when even a Thomas (Bonnicel) sees fit to award 7,5 points, then that is almost an accolade for a band of this style.
Compared to "Imaginarium" there have not really been many chances, but without the Swedes copying themselves, just to avoid any misunderstandings right from the start. Since the last album former TAD MOROSE keyboarder Frippe Eriksson has been on board and his keys play quite some role, so the haters of this instrument will be driven into madness for sure, but still the band sound clearly is guitar oriented as the opener "Parallels" shows right away. And even though he is double bass driven and very melodic, MORIFADE don't dwell on sappy melodies or speed ahead in one tempo only, but bring in a lot of variety, like a calmer interlude.
I also have to mention singer Stefan Pettersson's voice, which is high, but facetful and also has a pretty own sound, which gives MORIFADE a really own touch, which is something that nowadays unfortunately is rare indeed. The band also implements some slightly progressive elements to stand apart from the straight Power/Speed bands, which also is achieved by being pretty darn variable in terms of tempo and structure of the songs. All the songs are very catchy, but still demanding enough to have substance after several listens still.
Examples fort his variability are the speedy opener "Parallels" and as contrast to it the pretty slow paced and intense "Words I Never Speak", the following "Clarity (Fragments Of A Dream)" combines both into a very dense song with good choir arrangements with Stefan Lundgren (SOBRE NOCTURNE) and great melodies, while "The Rising" with its layered vocals conjures up a pretty epic feeling. The video bonus of "Lost Within A Shade" also is nicely done, while the limited DigiPak features an impressive five bonus tracks, amongst it a cover of the HELLOWEEN classic "Judas".
Packed into a powreful Los Angered production and adorned with another very interesting cover by Chrille Andersson (www.cainteractive.nu) "Domi<>Nation" in my opinion does not fully reach "Imaginarium", but still is a strong piece of Power Metal, which with its memorability and quality is a clear recommendation to all Power Metallers!
- Alex
Rock Report (5/6p)
[Written: February 2004]
Only a little bit more than a year after the release of Morifade's well received second album "Imaginarium", the Swedish power metal band have delivered their third full studio effort. Only after a couple of turns, I was a hundred percent sure that it is by far their best to date. Damn, now I've given everything away in the first paragraph. But I thought you should know. Let me tell you why.
"Domi<>Nation" is a concept album entirely written by vocalist Stefan Petersson and based on two books that have clearly influenced him. Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and George Orwell's "1984" were interesting novels indeed, but putting them to music and telling their stories in 9 songs is something totally different. Petersson probably wrote the best word sequence of his life in "The Second Coming", "Clarity (Fragments Of A Dream)" and "Panopticon", albeit you have to keep in mind that it's easier to use the creativity of two of history's best authors than to come up with something of your own. Anyway, exam 1 passed.
I already mentioned "Panopticon", which is not only blessed with good lyrics, but also one of the many superbly written power metal tracks on this album. Contrary to that on the band's previous albums, the music on "Domi<>Nation" was written by 4 different band members - long time guitarist Jesper Johansson, veteran bass player Henrik Weimedal, young and talented guitarist Robin Arnell (brother of drummer Kim) and to a less extent keyboardist Fredrik Eriksson. In other words: it's not remarkable that "Domi<>Nation" is without a doubt the most diverse album Morifade have ever issued, certainly if you know that the band's previous efforts were almost entirely written by Johansson only. Next to that, it is the band's most progressive release as well, a musical direction we'll probably see the band developing into more in the future. Besides "Panopticon", be sure to check out "A Silent Revolution", "The Second Coming", which has a bit of an Evergrey touch (more about that below) and "Words I Never Speak" (a portion of Angel Dust here, listen to that voice). Exam number 2: passed with distinction!
Those who have spotted the name of Evergrey above will be delighted to here that "Domi<>Nation" was recorded in at Los Angered Studio and - besides by the band themselves - produced by its owner Andy LaRocque (known of King Diamond and Death and production wise especially of Evergrey). The co-operation worked out very well. The sound is better than on "Imaginarium", which has also been recorded there, powerful and clear without being too perfect. In other words: exam 3 passed.
Just as was the case with "Imaginarium", the album's eye-candy artwork courtesy of C.A. Interactive (known of Skyfire a.o.) allows me to say that the album also passed exam 4 without any problem, which only leaves me with the duty of finishing this review with these words: quite essential stuff for all (power) metal fans!
- Stijn Lambert
Quintessence
[Written: February 2004]
This is the third full length album of Swedish metallers Morifade and I think it's an album that will definitely be loved by anyone who is into melodic heavy/power metal! Vocalist Stefan Petersson does a really outstanding job on this album and the songwriting is very mature and varied. The 9 songs on this album (the digipack edition will actually have 5 bonustracks and a video track) go from fast, uptempo heavy metal sing-a-longs like you know from bands such as Helloween and Labyrinth for instance to more prog influenced tracks to just straightforward power metal songs. Every know and then I detect a hint of Psychotik Waltz as well. Keys, guitars, lead vocals and the very catchy choruses are changing who's in charge of the lead melody back and forth in great harmony and the rhythm section is tight as fuck, giving the melodies a firm and strong base.
Andy La Roque handled the production and he has done quite an excellent job once more! Every detail of Morifade's music is crystal clear and the sound is pretty full and heavy, which gives the music a lot of energy and power. I couldn't help to get the feeling that lyrically this album is very much inspired by such great novels as "1984", "Brave New World" and for instance Ira Levin's "This Perfect Day", about very regulated and controlled societies and drug managed thoughts.
All in all, this album has everything to please a fan of melodic heavy/power metal; a great production, great and varied songwriting and great skills. Be sure to check this one out!
- Sicktus
Zware Metalen.com
[Written: January 2004]
Morifade is a rising star on the Swedish powermetal-firmament. The joungest creation of the six gentlemen has been in my cd-player for more than a week now, and there is no sign this will change somewhere in the near future.
The band plays excellent powermetal, with the occasional shot of bombasm (especially in the choirs) and some neo-classic influences. It's an pleasure to finally hear a (relatively) new band play powermetal that isn't ripped and stolen from all other bands, and doesn't hold itself to the, by LMP-contracted bands set standard in powermetal (ten to twelve songs, uninspired material, below average singer, obligatory intro, a few fast Accept-like songs, a few mid-tempo songs and a powerballad).
Highlights on this excellent album are especially Clarity (Fragments of a Dream), and The Rising.
Heck, in the nine songs (+ five extra on the digipack, amongst which Helloween's Judas!) are in fact all very good. Go and buy this album!!
- Ralph Plug
Lords of Metal (78/100p)
[Written: January 2004]
The roots of the Swedish power metal band Morifade go back to 1992, when a band was formed with the name Gothic. In 1996 this name was changed into Morifade. A very nice decision if you ask me, because Morifade is about the opposite of being gothic. After some line-up changes and no less than two mini cd's and two full albums their new album "Domi<>nation" is spinning in my player.
What a nice surprise right away! As soon as I closed the cd-rom player in my computer on which I normally listen to the music an automated multimedia thingy is starting up and shows a Morifade video. Nice, because now I already know the faces and get an impression of what they do live. The video track "Lost Within A Shade" is a good and powerful song.
While listening to the first song "Parallels" it gets clear that Morifade is all about melodic, slightly progressive power metal. The first thing that surprises me is the really professional approach and sound. No wonder, because this album was produced by Andy La Rocque in the Los Angered Studio. This album sounds great and so I turn up the volume. The second thing about this band is that it exists of very capable musicians. Stefan Petersson (no, not the old Ajax-player) is the lead singer of this band and there's nothing wrong with his voice.
I have to say that a lot of what I hear of Morifade sounds somewhat familiar to my ears, but maybe that's evident for this genre. On top of that, I'm not the biggest power metal fan that walks the earth. However, it's very certain that this band can go very far. About everything about them makes sense. Don't hold back though because of my lack of enthusiasm. If you are really into good melodic power metal with a high sing-a-long content then you should at least go listen to this album!
- Peter B.
Pitfather (3,5/5p)
[Written: January 2004]
There was a time that I almost bought every album that Hammerheart records released. They are known for their great pagan/black and death metal outputs. Bands like Thyrfing and Primordial have given us unbelievable metal pleasure. This is the first promo I received after the name change Hammerheart to Karmageddon Media. I was really surprised (and shocked at the same time) that Morifade had nothing to do with black/death or whatever. This band plays power/heavy metal with the familiar high vocals. Its already there third full length album and the second one on Karmageddon Media.
My heavy metal knowledge is not exactly big. I dig bands like Luca Turilli, Helloween, Iron Maiden and some American style heavy metal like Nevermore and Iced Earth. Especially the so called German Heavy metal bands are not my favourite metal albums. Morifade are absolutely in the style 'German' but it's more than just putting some standard riffs together and singing much to high for a man. They combine catchy songs ('The Rising', sing a long if you want) with great musicianship. Sometimes fast ('Parallels'), melodic slow ('Words I Never Speak') and even bombastic choirs ('Clarity'). Everything is filled up with unbelievable solo's.
It will never be my favourite metal style, but I can't deny that these guys know what they are doing. On the promo I received I found a clip of the song 'Lost Within A Shade' (song of their previous album).
- Henke
Metalcentral Netzine (8/10p)
[Written: January 2004]
Linköpingsbaserade power metal-bandet Morifade debuterade 1998 med mini-CD:n "Across the starlit sky". Det var ingen höjdare, men redan på första fullängdaren "Possession of power" (1999) hade det hänt något. Den lät faktiskt riktigt bra och 2002 års fullängdare "Imaginarium" (har inte hört mini-CD:n "Cast a spell" som kom 2000) var inget annat än en kanonskiva med massor av sköna refränger och härliga melodislingor. Nu är bandet här med sin nya skiva "Domi<>Nation". Är då Morifade redo att leka med dom stora grabbarna?
Nja, för att prata fotbollspråk kan man väl säga att de håller bra i Allsvenskan, men att de fortfarande har en bit kvar till Champions League. Morifade har dock tagit ett litet steg framåt igen. Det man kunde klaga på förut var kanske en något lättviktig produktion. Det lät lite tunt. Detta har man rättat till nu. Produktionen är fetare och gitarrerna är vässade.
Morifade har helt enkelt blivit lite hårdare, dock utan att ge avkall på melodierna.
Har lite svårt att hitta någon favoritlåt, vilket kan vara både bra och dåligt. I detta fall är det positivt. Skivan håller en jämn och hög klass rakt igenom. Nu är det inte mycket som fattas för att Morifade ska ta steget in i eliten. Kanske redan med nästa skiva?
- Peter Lindgren
Bleeding for Metal (9,5/10p)
[Written: January 2004]
First of all I am back...second of all..Morifade is back...FINALLY...I got tired of all the delays for a European or American release and I managed to get a copy of the Japanese release about a month ago..and boy was it worth it!!!
If you are familiar with Morifade and wished they were a little heavier...then this is the album you have been waiting for from them. This thing i HEAVY!!! For those of you that don't know, they are a melodic power metal band that has slowly gotten heavier with each release (this is their third) without losing much of the melody. First off the singer is pretty good.... upper-mid range with a pleasant and controlled voice. He doesn't try to got beyond his range, either up or down, and he doesn't sound over-bearing or whiny. The guitars are heavier than they hav ever been for them. There is a lot more crunch in them than before and just plain....well...heavier. The use of keys is apparent but not dominating and really accentuate the sound of Morifade. This is by know means groundbreaking or anything... but it is damn good. If you love power metal and are starting to get irritated by a lot of crap out there......this is it.
Bleeding Tracks: Parallels, The Second Coming, Clarity, Panopticon, Memory's End
- Sym
Rockzine (8/10p)
[Written: January 2004]
This is the third album of Swedish power metal band Morifade. The album has nine tracks and not one of them is bad. The album is recorded at Los Angered Studio (e.g. Evergrey) by Andy La Rocque (e.g. King Diamond/Death). The first 5000 copies are released as a limited edition digipack with five bonustracks. The digi as well as the normal cd have a video track added called; "Lost Within A Shade". The album takes of very powerful with "Paralells". A good powerful voice, good riffs and great harmonies. "A Silent Revolution" starts as a ballad, but quickly turns into a powerful song with wonderful lead vocals.
The harmony reminds me of early Styx. And again good riffs. "The Second Coming", "Clarity (Fragments Of A Dream)" and "Erase" are rather plain but well performed power metal songs. "Words I Never Speak", again a great song. It starts with beautiful riffs and good keyboard parts. "Panopticon" kicks in with great harmony and reaches great heights. The song "The Rising" is a good one, with parts sung in a high pitched voice and very sensitive guitar playing. In short, this is a great album. Strong, heavy with even heavy sensitive ballads.
- Pieke
Concrete Web (83/100p)
[Written: January 2004]
There are two kinds of Morifade the one you will get lost within and the other which takes you on a trip to the unexpected, mysterious and mystic. Welcome to the latter. Enter the gate of Morifade's third masterpiece and get surprised by a heavy guitar riff lurking behind the first corner and a very cleverly, sophisticated keyboard round at the next crossing. 0n "Domi-Nation", this six-headed Swedish metal institution surprises us with very promising melodies over every hedge calling you in deeper and deeper. In the centre you will get more than you ever imagined you get an ultimate melodic power metal album in which musical versatility and the huge sound, created by Andy La Rocque are the important foundations. "Domi-Nation" features heavenly variations of faster tracks like "Parallels", up-tempo melodic eruptions like "Clarity" and "Silent Revolution" or the driven "The Rising" and the superb doomy "Words 1 Never Speak". 1f you are still in search for the ultimate power metal album where the most charming melodies and progressive keyboard parts are meeting heavy guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section, than your dream definitely will become reality with Morifade's "Domi-Nation", that's for sure!
- Pumpkinique
Tombstone.gr (7/10p)
[Written: January 2004]
After quite a few delays the third album of the Swedes is finally here and we can say that while it is not a killer album that will change the way power metal is played, it was certainly worth the wait. The album is a bit heavier than their previous one, especially concerning their sound, and their power metal can be described as heavy and yet melodic. Responsible for their heavy sound is mainly the producer who has done an excellent job in giving the band a sound of their own, which is heavy as fuck and yet crystal clear. This is a no fillers album, with the vast majority of the songs being worth making it to the final mix. I liked their attitude and I liked the fact that they are very straight forward. The guys never pretend to be something they are not and their music sounds like it's coming from their hearts, a fact that I think is very important nowadays, with all the bands that pretend to be "progressive" or whatever. They enjoy playing their music and we enjoy listening to their music. Simple as that.
- Tombstone.gr
The Metal Observer [I] (7,5/10p)
[Written: January 2004]
As you already have seen it, Power Metal is a style that I really can't stand at all and when I have to listen to such bands as HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY or even worse, PRIMAL FEAR, it's a real torture to me. All that to say that I've needed a lot of courage to dare listening to the brand new albums of the Swedish guys from MORIFADE... But all in all, listening to "Domi<>Nation" went quite ok and was way less painful than planned!
I won't say that I'd listen to it again with pleasure or for the fun of it, but I can still say that MORIFADE can play and write really decent tracks. Maybe that's due to the nice keyboards that create a cool atmosphere? Or maybe to the catchy melodies? Or maybe to the good job done on vocal arrangements by Stefan Lundgren (SOBRE NOCTURNE, NECROMICON...) on the track "Clarity (Fragments Of A Dream)"? All that to say that this album is in that genre of very good quality and that the ones who love high and not so virile voices will be pleased! On those positive words, there I'm going for some more good old ENTHRONED, just to destroy my ears a little bit more...
- Thomas
Vampire Magazine
[Written: December 2003]
Nice title... Morifade introduces their third album to the world, and it is commonly known that a third album is often a band's most important one. At least with this title they make it clear of what they are after, and I think that domination is possible with this album!
"Parallels" opens and the shift from the second album is becoming clear: it has turned out a bit louder, more towards the Helloween-roots of this band. Especially the guitars are significant more crushing than on "Imaginarium". Andy La Roque once more did the production, and as that combination led to a good sound on "Imaginarium", why not on this new "Domi<>nation"? Indeed, a solid production helps this album a lot and is necessary for this kind of music.
The style of Morifade has not changed that much, it is just the accents that have shifted to a heavier side. The band plays music in the power metal regions, with a well balanced combination of guitars and keys, and that typical Swedish melody aspect (the riffs and the harmony choruses). Yet in some tracks it just got a bit heavier, and as a metalhead I can only cheer for such developments. Development is the central issue in this one: Stefan Petterson made a normal progression with his voice, and the songs have grown as well. In my review of their previous album I wrote that that undescribable "feeling" was missing, especially in their slower song... Well, on this "Domi<>nation" Morifade managed in crossing that line so to speak.
The album contains all kind of compositions from the genre of power metal, from very heavy to melodic, fast and epic, just no cheesy power/love ballad (hurray for that); I think it is safe to say that with this "Domi<>nation" Morifade delivers its best album so far, and already for the genre this coming year. No sissy power metal, just melodic, strong and still heavy, exactly what power metal should be. Distributor Plastic Head decided to postpone their releases a bit, so now the waiting is until Febryary 9th before all melodic power metal fans can run to their record shop and buy this "Domi<>nation" blindfolded! Great album! If possible; try to get the digi-pack. It contains a lot of extras! and is therefore well worth the extra money...
- John