dakrya crime scene

Released: 15 September 2010 Label: Sensory Records (The Laser's Edge)

Greece isn’t famous for it’s metal scene, being better known for ancient ruins, sun, sea, ouzo and souvlaki, however, with a bit of exposure, that may change, at least amongst the metalhead community with the second album from Dakrya. Recording and production for Crime Scene was given quite a forensic start with some major names involved in engineering (George Bokos of Rotting Christ fame) and production (Pelle Saether, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Draconian and Göran Finnberg, Opeth, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Arch Enemy). So there’s no shortage of quality DNA evidence to be found here.

On first listen, this opus is light, bubbly, very theatrical, slightly madcap and something you’d be happy to let your young children or elderly parents listen to with no supervision. A bit like having a clown along to a rich kid's birthday party. Watch out, though, because this clown has a chainsaw down his baggy trousers, and just when he’s got everyone bouncing along in time, and starting to pick out the lyrics to sing along to, you realise, too late, that a homicidal maniac is chasing you.

This is actually a very dark album, drawing in subjects like criminality, fraud, government, corruption, technology, and how they are all linked together through society. It’s a clever piece of music, well performed, brilliantly executed and produced.

There is a good interplay between the vocalists, but the stand out feature is the contrast between the music generating a bouncy, happy mood, the sinister undertone of heavy bass and drums, and lyrics that rip and tear at societal values. There is no particular stand out track on the disc, but it is all of a high standard.

I like the album, but I can also understand why it will polarise opinions, with listeners either hating it or loving it. Either way, it will demand a reaction.

by Alan Thomson