Dome Service - Promo 2002
Self released
Melodic Death/Thrash Metal
3 songs (16'11")
Release year: 2002
Reviewed by Alex

Dome Service come from Denmark and they are definitely trying to do their own thing in death metal. It does not help though to be separated from Sweden only by Kattegat strait. Those Gothenburg winds must blow all the way into Copenhagen where Dome Service is from as melodic death influences are heard all the way on this three-track promo.

Throughout all three tracks the band goes through a dichotomy. Their best stuff comes from sharp melodic leads, like the intro of Clarity. Yet, the band insists on being heavy bordering on death/thrash territory where the riffs chug along. Slight rhythm guitar downtuning makes Dome Service music sound even heavier. As the rhythm section lags behind, the lead guitar wants to break off and fly away on its own. When heaviness and melody are reconciled, Dome Service come up with their best work, as in E Pluribus Unum.

Vocals are growly, and of very low timbre. Sometimes this creates a sense of “out of its way” brutality, but it fits the dark overall mood nonetheless. I have to comment on the clarity of how the lyrics are enunciated, and the overall production quality. Outstanding job by A. Lundemark at Starstruck Studio. A bit of cleaner whispering vocals certainly hint at late Soilwork and In Flames on Clarity, the most Gothenburg song of all on the demo.

Something that holds the band back, in my modest opinion, is how the rhythm section jives with the rest of the band. I am not saying Dome Service drummer is bad, but he tends to go at a very deliberate pace, and a few blasting moments on E Pluribus Unum show that fast snare blasting is not his forte. Such slower tempo and little variation cause some parts of Clarity and Day of Silence to plod and stagnate. More variety with the fills or occasional fast double bass would spice things up.

Of course, as with any three-track demo the question would be longevity and consistency. Will the band have enough in them to sustain the whole album worth? The future is not without clouds, but hard work overcame even higher obstacles. Good luck, Dome Service! And, yes, playing it loud, as the band recommends, makes all the difference. It sounds better loud.

Killing Songs :
E Pluribus Unum, intro of Clarity
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