Vvon Dogma I
12/18/2017 – Arising from the current hot bed of musical creativity, Montreal, djent may have found a new icon to follow. VVON DOGMA I is a quartet that is anything but common. Brutal yet gentle, electric yet acoustic, angular yet linear… with their debut EP timing in at only 14:45, there isn’t a wasted note on the entire album.
There is a one two punch combo when you press play.
Opening with a beautiful string quartet, and then smashing your face in with a hammer. It’s like that crazy, way too hot to be using online dating, girl you met once back in Portland on a weekend layover. That’s the kind of girl you fuck on the weekends, but don’t take her home to mom. She’ll do ass to mouth, but then try to tongue kiss you right afterwards.
‘Communion‘ is the second track on the EP. Blurring the lines between synthetic dubstep and acoustic instruments loose their standard identity. Lose isn’t a negative word though. It’s more like a bird loses it’s fear of heights and spreads it’s wings for a first flight. Soaring above the noise that comprises most of the unispiraed and fear-drenched music that is created today, Communion takes risks. It’s kind of a mandatory requirement. Like rubber sheets with the Portland sex freak. Ending ‘Communion’ is a fantastic RATM style ascending riff that just pummels. Credit to the band for cutting it off a little too early. ‘Always leave them wanting more’, is great way to engage the listener. For a sparse :35 seconds, Vvon Dogma I, precisely delivers the goods. Just a taste of commercial rock that sounds so fucking good after the dubstep mind fuck, you can’t help but head bang.
Is nine string bass necessary?
The musical skeptic in me almost instantly discredited the press release sent to me by the talented Jon Asher at Asher Music Publications. I’m glad I didn’t. When dissent becomes fashionable, uninspired artists will do and try anything to create a false image of individuality. I thought the 9-string bass angle was just that; a gimmick to separate Vvon Dogma I from everything else out there in musical space. It was a refreshing surprise to discover just how wrong I was. The bass is a focal point of the band AND it utilized very musicallcally. I am reminded of a time when a friend handed me a François Rabbath album back in the 90’s. Although I loathe bass solos, here in my hands was proof that not all bass solos are narcissistic piles of musical shit.
Vocoder and two handed 9-string bass tapping begin the track ‘Lithium Blue‘. While the ethereal lyrics of ‘Just reborn as a ghost’ echo and haunt, the drums slowly build in. Brash and angular rhythms are jarring to listen to, while there is a delicate melody floating over it. Like a flower petal dancing on the waves in a maelstrom. Breaking out of predictable pop-song structures, really keeps the listener guessing what might come next. Excellent use of dynamics, and don’t forget this is metal, so your sick double bass drum kick pedal fetish will be delivered too.
The album, Communion, is very short. Only four songs comprise the EP. Ending on ‘The Mask’, it finishes on a more subdued note. Not, as quiet as the strings in the beginning, but not as head banging as either. Look for great things to happen on the djent scene in the future. As long as bands are fearless to take risks, progress can be made. The caeavat: If said bands haven’t been forged in the fire in fire of hard work and discipline to hone their craft to sharpness of a katana blade, all of the dare-devilism in the universe doesn’t mean shit. The best steel goes through the fire, and Vvon Dogma I has felt the burn.
Epilogue: The Portland Sex Freak
I know the readers of Slickster Magazine. Yes, the ass to mouth chick was a true story. She said her name was KiKi, or QiQi, or Eva…. I’m not sure. What I do know was, that there were warning signs of danger screaming all around me and I chose to ignore them. The porn star style sex was hot at first, but then things in my life started getting weird. Extortion phone calls and emails began showing up regularly and referenced our ‘relationship’. Was I under surveillance?
Luckily, I had to work overseas for an extended period of time and it was an easy way to escape her and the situation I had gotten myself into. I learned my lesson; no amount of butt sex with a gorgeous woman is worth your sanity.
Tucker Max for president.