ALBUM
DOGMA
DOGMA
Rubicon Music
So little is known about Dogma despite them having been around for a couple of years that it’s hard to get any background on them. Shrouded in secrecy to the point that they don’t even say which country they are from, what we do know that they are five women who dress in provocative, sexy, nun’s attire and wear gothic make-up They also call their fans ‘Sinners’ and use stage names; Nixe (b), Abrahel (d), Lamia (g), Lilith (v) and Rusalka (g). Great image then, how about the music?
Gothic, provocative and sexy springs to mind. It is also beautifully euphonious with melodic dual guitar parts, layered, enhancing keyboards, great hooks and temptress singing with singalong backing vocals. There is nothing complicated about the songs but each one of them is perfectly crafted in the same way that early Bon Jovi used both Rock and Pop to create Glam Metal. Make no mistake though, songs like “Made Her Mine” show that these ladies can also tear through a song at speed; they have the musicianship to handle it. Overall, they err more on the side of Metal than either Rock, Pop or Glam.
The songs clock in at between 4 and 5½ minutes and were written by The Dark Messiah, The Light Messiah and The Dusk Messiah. The Dark Messiah also produced it with Dark Nalabroc and it was mixed by Dark Zenitram…. curiouser and curiouser as Lewis Carroll wrote. The ‘team’ though has done an outstanding job in all departments. The songwriting is memorable; the production polished with small touches throughout and the mix has a very clear separation between everything. Compression has been kept to a minimum which gives the album a lot more clarity and sparkle. Lyrically, the content is, as you would expect, raunchy but it never descends into shock for the sake of shock value.
The bonus track on the Japanese edition is a cover of Madonna’s 1989 hit, “Like A Prayer.” It’s an inspired choice given the lyric content of an innocent girl in love with God but Dogma have taken it to a different level with their arrangement. Gone is the 80’s dance beat and heavenly pauses to be replaced by a thumping, chugging backing track with ill-omened vocals. Throw in some top-drawer guitar harmonies and it flips the whole song on its head. Virtuous becomes sinful, divine becomes wicked, love becomes lust.
In an age where image takes preference to music and music often doesn’t create an image, Dogma have it all. A Rock/Metal album that is listenable without the visuals and videos that make you delve deeper into their music, Dogma will draw you in. Start saying your prayers.
Tracklist
1. Forbidden Zone
2. Feel the Zeal
3. My First Peak
4. Made Her Mine
5. Carnal Liberation
6. Free Yourself
7. Bare to the Bones
8. Make Us Proud
9. Pleasure from Pain
10. Father I Have Sinned
11. The Dark Messiah
12. Like A Prayer *
*Bonus Track For Japan
ALBUM
SLASH
LIVE AT THE SERPENT FESTIVAL
Sony Music Japan International
Live albums usually come after a few studio releases. Bands tour the latest album, play songs from it along with a few favourites, record the shows and release the tapes, often as a marker of where they are in their career. Slash has dumped that tradition and released a live album after only one studio album, Orgy of the Damned, a covers album with a selection of guest vocalists, paying tribute to Slash’s musical roots. It’s a brave thing to do but given the content, probably the smartest move he’s ever made.
On tour with the band on the album and billed it as A Celebration of the Blues this release is the complete show from Denver, Colorado on July 17, 2024 and to say they hit the ground running is an understatement. A blistering version of Mose Allison’s “Parchman Farm Blues” is followed by the first album track of the night, Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor.” Slash rocked it up on the album cut but here, the band take it to another level. The dynamics between the musicians harks back to the Classic Rock days when bands like The Spencer Davis Group and Vanilla Fudge used to use their instruments as weapons against each other, goading one another to play faster and harder and this runs through the entire album. A big credit to Eike Freese for the mixing and mastering which adds another layer; the band are playing in your living room.
Available as a two-disc CD set or the same with a Blu-Ray disc of the gig, it is well worth the extra investment in the latter. The three discs come housed in a four-fold digipak with an eight-page English booklet and a twenty-page Japanese one which includes the lyrics in both languages and liner notes for all the songs. All the discs are mastered to Sony’s BSCD2 specifications, the video having Japanese subtitles and a choice of 2.0 PCM stereo or 5.1 DTS audio.
Beautifully directed, the gig is interspersed every few songs with Slash talking about the tracks you’ve just heard. It’s a great way to edit a video and gives you a moment to digest what you’ve just seen before (or grab another beer). Watching the band play is a pleasure all in itself. Slash uses a half a dozen guitars throughout the show and is on fire; his solos are some of his best to date. Teddy Andreadis effortlessly splits his rolls on vocals, harmonica and keyboards - his Hammond playing being up there with the great Brian Auger – while other vocals are taken by rhythm guitarist, Tash Neal, who, incidentally, supplies much more than just rhythm from his six strings. Johnny Griparic has got to be one of the most ‘solid with feel’ bass players around, playing in pocket with Michael Jerome whose stick work has to be seen to be believed. The five line up at the end and take a bow, looking like a group of misfits but boy, can they play and after watching this, you’re going to be queueing up to buy a ticket. Smart move Slash.
Track List
CD1　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
1. Intro　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
2. Parchman Farm Blues
3. Killing Floor
4. Born Under a Bad Sign
5. Oh Well
6. Big Legged Woman
7. Key to the Highway
8. Papa Was a Rollin‘ Stone
CD2
1. Stormy Monday
2. The Pusher
3. Metal Chestnut
4. Crossroads
5. Stone Free
6. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
7. Shake Your Money Maker
BD
Contains complete show and documentary footage.