Dagoba – What Hell Is About

01. What Hell Is About
02. Die Tomorrow
03. The Fall Of Men
04. The Man You’re Not
05. Cancer
06. It’s All About Time
07. The Things Apart
08. The Things Within
09. Livin’ Dead
10. 042104
11. Morphine The Apostle Of Your War
12. The White Guy (Suicide)

Dagoba’s What Hell Is About is not just an album; it’s a crushing manifesto of groove-infused industrial metal, a rare feat that amalgamates simplicity with atmospheric depth. Unlike the band’s self-titled debut, which grappled with a lack of cohesion and uninspired execution, this record refines their formula, presenting a well-balanced attack of bone-crunching riffs, pulsating rhythms, and haunting atmospherics. This is Dagoba at their most cohesive and, dare I say, inspired.

The approach on What Hell Is About is a masterclass in restraint. The riffs simply hit like a sledgehammer, carried by a production style that emphasizes clarity without losing the raw aggression. Izakar’s guitar work is a standout, blending groove-heavy chugs with occasional melodic flourishes on “Morphine The Apostle of Your Last War” and the latter half of “Cancer”, presenting highlights of controlled chaos. This is not the kind of album that bogs itself down in overwrought technical convulsion, rather it stays straightforward, with menacing drums propelling the momentum. Dagoba’s industrial leanings shine brightest through their use of keyboards, adding a dimension often missing in other bands of this niche. These atmospheric touches are more than window dressing and effuse a foreboding sense of space and depth that elevates sublimity in tracks like “042104”. It demonstrates the mastery of mood, transforming the experience into a straightforward, groove metal assault.

Look, one can draw comparisons to Fear Factory amicably, but, though it does borrow the mechanized aesthetic, Dagoba’s execution feels more innate and less clinical, favoring raw power over conscientiousness. Vocally, Oymyakon remains a polarizing figure; his growls are solid, though the clean vocals wholeheartedly fall flat. Nonetheless, the soaring clean vocals of Simen Hestnæs (ex-Dimmu Borgir)’s soaring on “It’s All About Time” is more befitting and fascinating, acting as a saving grace. Costanza crushes on drums, bellowing endless blast beats, inventive fills, and a tech-death edge that complements the album’s groove-industrial foundation.

From my standpoint, What Hell Is About is Dagoba’s magnum opus with a tire-shredding experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Whether it’s swinging from pummeling riffs and drums to subtle keyboards, or infusing Fear Factory’s industrial edge, or enticing you with Sybreed’s electronic layers, it brilliantly manufactures into a groove metal’s headbanging record. Another album that may set the moshpit scorching.

Highlights: “Cancer”, “Morphine The Apostle of Your Last War”, and “042104”