DGM

This is the latest from Italy's DGM. A Prog-Metal band who blasts us with double bass drumming throughout. A new vocalist for this one in Mark Basile and he does a great job here. I found that there wasn't a lot of variation on this album, and as I mentioned there's way too much double bass drumming for my taste.

"Hereafter" features lots of synths and double bass drumming early on. It settles some before a minute with vocals. It turns mellow before 3 minutes then kicks back in hard. "Enhancement" opens with a barrage of double bass then it settles before a minute with vocals. "Not In Need" kicks in right away and again settles some when the vocals arrive. "No Looking Back" builds as vocals come in after a minute. Keys and drums lead after 3 minutes. A guitar solo before 4 minutes.

"Trapped..." has this marching-like rhythm with choir-like vocals.Then it kicks in. Great sound. "...In A Movie" is a good uptempo rocker. "Away" kicks in before a minute. A nice crunchy sound here. It settles with vocals as contrasts continue. "Heartache" turns full rather quickly. Reserved vocals with riffs follow. "Rest In Peace" is uptempo with vocals. "Brand New Blood" has this hard hitting intro. Double bass drumming galore after a minute. "Fading & Falling" opens with gentle guitar and reserved vocals. Keys join in. It kicks in after a minute.

A good album but it doesn't suit my taste in Metal that well.

3.5 this time

Sixth studio album of this italian prog metal band released in 2007 named Diffrent shapes is an inprovement over previous one, the arrangements are more precise, more direct in aproach, the power metal elements are all over again, but this time are very well melted with progressive ones. This time DGM climb a stair from previous relese and that is a good thing, if this one was sounding like Misplaced I will forget for good about this band. Even the album is good and the musicianship is quite great on entire release, Diffrent shapes brings nothing new in DGM sound or in prog metal scene. 3 stars maybe 3.5 because the album sounds good , professional and maybe better then many power metal releases with prog metal leaning in last years, even is not fantastic. I remain to Wings of time and Dream land to be the best DGM albums ever, the resta re only ok with few excetions of greatness.

Fifth studio album of this prog metal band from Italy, now more a power metal outfit with some prog leanings here and there, named Misplaced from 2004. To tell the truth this album was a little deseppointing for me, I mean this release sounds like usual power metal with some keybords added that doesn't make a prog metal album IMO. They fall now in a category and took a path followed by hunderd bands. The only DGM album with Tita Tani behind the microphone who I consedered essential is the first one where he appears from 2001Dream land, the rest are usual stuff with very little to offer, even the musicianship is quite good, they suffer in ideas. This album is same, the ideas are almost down to zero, but what make this album listenable is the good musicianship all over the album. All instruments sound good, each musician envolved here make a good job, but I think that DGm can't do much better then this kind of music. Is the best they can give and that's all, no one to blame, they will never be another Symphony X even they try on some pieces to sound alike. Now here DGM sounds like Stratovarius or Kamelot, more power metal then prog, not a bad thing after all, but as I said the ideas are mediocre. Not a piece stand in front, all are almost the same in value, but almost forgetable aswell. I will give 3 stars because I like the band, more like 2.5 rounded to 3, but only this time I'm so generous. No wonder why the album is so low rated.

Second album with Tita Tani behind the microphone and forth from their career Hidden place from 2003 bring nothing to both to the genre - progressive metal or to their sound overall. Again a fait good album, a perfect balance between progressive metal with power metal elements. The album is up tempo most of the time minus 2 tracks who are more mellow, but the whole thing here is well done, god musicianship. Some pieces like A Day Without the Sun or Heaven stands as the best from here, the rest are ok. The music in places is more complex then usual like on Heaven, great tune, but overall something is missing, to usual stuff. I don't think is their best, I prefere previous one and with the first vocalist Wings of time. I will give 3 stars, a good one but nothing more.

Excellent and yet unnoticed release

DGM is one of the prog metal bands that for some reasons never gained much succes over the years like other bands from this genre. While their music is quite good towards great on some albums, DGM is an underrated band in my opinion. This is their second studio release from 1999 named Wings of time. Great, simply excellent album full of catchy arrangements and superb vocal passages sung by their first vocalist Luciano Regoli. I don't realy know why he was replaced after this album with Tita Tani, because here he delivers one of the best vocal lines I ever heared on a prog metal album. He's voice is perfect for this kind of aproach, a perfect balance between prog metal with some power metal arrangements. As I said the music has some superb guitars and keys passages, just listen to Mirrors Of The Night and Guiding Light , the best from here. The rest are also good, some sax interluded with the rest on Deep Inside and Drop of shadow and gives a special atmosphere overall. Also female singer Cristina Cioni helped the bad on Deep inside, her warm voice fits perfect in the tune. The song structures are complex and has an up tempo almost all the time. DGM uses a powerful double bass throughout plus a strong use of keyboards, not to mention the guitar who is quite impressive. In the end a 4 star album. Try this band because they are among the best in prog metal, even if they are in the second league for many listners, and maybe not so well known by metal heads, to me is an excellent album that needs a wider recognition. Similar bands Elegy, Ivory Tower, Eldritch. 4 stars without hesitation. I'm the second reviewer of this release, how strange, is DGM so unknown to wider public???

Improvement on all fields

DGM is a band that always seems to be a bit indecisive. Either they seem to be a bit too pop- influenced with their melodies, or they tend to focus too much on technicality.

Well... No More. For the first time DGM seems to live up to their potential. The album is heavier all over then before. Their melodies pops up from my unconscious as I catch myself humming to Hereafter while at work. And the best thing of all is how they have managed to fuse melody and technical performance on this album. Before FrAme, they were an okay band. Now, I would mention them along some of the best progressive power metal bands out there. Like Symphony X, Pagans Mind and Eldritch. The singer has suddenly also become a favorite as he has evolved a more powerful style. I definitely prefer him before the singers of Pagans Mind and Eldritch. Still has a bit to go, before he reaches the power of Russell Allen though.

The production also deserves to be mentioned. It is powerful and detailed as before, but I would have to say that this one has raised the bar for DGM production wise as well.

Kudos to DGM for their improvement. And for those of you who got scared away by their last dreadful effort Different Shapes. Listen to Hereafter from FrAme and realize that DGM has risen to the occasion and made their best album to this date.

A perfect copy of Dream Theater!!!

DGM without Luciano Regoli (but with the Italian Metal singer wizard Titta Tani) has turned a true copy of Drean Theater! They also lost any reference to the Italian Prog becoming a sterile and without soul band. 100% technique... No feeling in my mind... No magic in my mind... Certainly this remain a great band. But the defects of Prog Metal are all in this album.

If the writing style is contamined by Symphony X, Vanden Plas or Artension the final result not conquest me.

In every case: great production, good booklet and good Titta Tani. But no one song remain in my mind. Only the aggressive guitars and drums remain in my mind.

Excuse me but if I speak about Prog Metal I seek a more varied and less aggressive music.

Do you like the heavier side of Dream Theater? Are you interested in listening some non-lame high-pitch vocals? (sorry, La Brie) Then DMG is for you. Labeled by some people as "the european answer to DT", "Frame" is an album that delivers great metal with catchy tunes and an intense groove. This is the first album I get from these guys, and I do not know if their previous works are so good like this, but one thing is sure: this is what metal progressive is about. DMG is a sure bet for those who likes DT, Symphony X (and yes, Vanden Plas) and the like, specially if you're tired of James LaBrie or the Muse-Radiohead-Porcupine Tree undertones in last DT's albums (not me, but hey I'm telling you!) What? Am I the first reviewer? and just 3 ratings? C'mon folks this is a band that deserves more recognition.

So,that's my first experience of DGM and the first thing to say is that this one is excellent power metal but has nothing to do with prog...I don't know if the rest of their albums have progressive leanings but this one is power metal to the bone with the main influences coming from KAMELOT,STRATOVARIUS,maybe the more metal side of RHAPSODY OF FIRE and the more speed side of SYMPHONY X...Vocalist Titta Tani has a powerful voice,something like a less brutal version of Russell Allen or Ronnie Atkins of PRETTY MAIDS...Of course all songs are well arranged and performed with nice guitar and keyboard solos but that doesn't make an album progressive...and after a few listens it gets quite boring...If you like power metal or want to have a break from complex and difficult albums then this is for you...melodic speed metal...I have been personally through this phase many years ago and such albums do not thrill me at all...I will just pass this one by...2.5 stars...

A very good combination of speed riffs and great keyboard sounds and ideas... Though I think that the drums sound a little fake, especially the drum kick that sounds like trigged... Most likely the drums are not natural but sounds really nice with the rest of the music... I think it is a great power/progressive album...