Band:	Jacobs Dream
Album:	Dominion Of Darkness
Style:	US power metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	2008
Guest review by:	Holy Man

01. Demon World
02. Can't Break
03. Curse Of Antikythera
04. Hands Of Doom
05. Don't Talk
06. Hero
07. Dark Alliance
08. Embraced By Sorrow
09. Dissolution Of Purity
10. Violent Kingdom
11. Awaken The Man
12. End Of Days
13. Mercy Killing

I first heard Jacobs Dream a couple years ago, in 2008 when they added me on Myspace randomly. The first song I heard by them was "Demon World" off this album, Dominion of Darkness. As we all know, Power Metal is primarily known for the use of super high, glass breaking vocals. So it was a great surprise to me to hear one of the few "baritone" vocalists out there. It caught me by surprise. Chaz Bond's vocal style is perfect for these songs, and is accompanied perfectly by the gritty, powerful guitars and pummeling drums.

Another fun fact about Jacobs Dream is that they're a Christian metal band. After I heard this, I was skeptical about listening to anything else, since every Christian band that openly describes themselves as such has a tendency to over-preach on their albums. Dominion of Darkness is a refreshing break from that monotony. The opening track, "Demon World" provides a steady, heavy rhythm, with thought provoking, but still relatively religiously-neutral lyrics. The Christian influence is there, but it's not overwhelming. Any question that this is a power metal band is gone as soon as the chorus comes in. Anthemic riffing, and near-glorious vocals, a strong beat? this song will make you move your neck around.

One of the strongest points about this album I can find would have to be the simplicity of the music. It's not overly technical, but everything melds together so well that it sounds like a more complicated endeavor. The melody of the two guitars paints the perfect picture for Chaz Bond to come in and finish with his powerful bellow. The drums keep the tempo from being too slow, despite the melodic approach of the guitars.

I recommend any lover of power metal to just give this album at least one spin. There are some real gems here. "Demon World," and "Dissolution of Purity" will keep you on your feet, and amped up for headbanging, while the more emotional track, "Hero," will leave you bouncing your head to the rhythm, while inadvertently sinking into deep thought without even realizing it. Dominion of Darkness as a whole is captivating, thought provoking, and still maintains the appropriate daily percentage of Epic #5 for the growing metalhead.