Damokles - Then Again

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Damokles’ Then Again is another album shot through with his unique style, in this case tinged with rave vibes and a futuristic outlook. His inimitable vocal performance is joined by his unmistakably crafted synth sound and usual melodic chops. The end result is music which is a hell of a lot of fun and brims with personality and charm. I could definitely see myself putting this album on repeat.

Of course, no Damokles album would be complete without his ear-catching mixture of strong vocal performances, a sound like no one else’s and songwriting which is quirky and explores topics most people don’t think much about. As a result, each song pours out characterful energy and tends to convey unique messages with an entertaining spirit.

A dance floor–filling feeling permeates Then Again. It’s a sound I find appealing. I enjoy the massive rhythm’s throbbing pulsations along with the bright energy of the layered synths. All of the different sounds are well thought out and mixed together to create a very ear-pleasing sonic experience.

Another element that adds to the overall quality of Then Again is Damokles’ melodic writing. He crafts catchy melodies that convey emotions with immediacy and vibrant joy. A sort of magical spell is performed when he writes melodies in which my mind is transported across the soundscape to engage with them and feel them in my heart.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Immortality” comes into being as reverberating notes echo while a voiceover talks about extreme life extension. A tumbling, cascading rhythm shifts with enigmatic sounds drifting hauntingly above rapidly trembling synth and pulsating low end weight. Trailing notes shiver before the ecstatic melody rockets out above the punching rhythm and Damokles’ deep, expressive voice calls out.

Arpeggios whirl with tension as laser-light sounds flicker and bright chords shine while the low end accelerates with great weight. The lyrics ask, “Who wants to live forever?” and “who can give forever?” Damokles’ resonating voice carries the darkly shaded melody as expansive notes flange through the music with rotating energy and the dance-floor-pounding beat throbs.

Mechanical sounds clank as the rhythm grows in forceful motion, robotically clunking and driving while the raised synth slashes with lightning flares. The electrifying low end pushes the track to its conclusion.

Computerized sounds knife in with angular motion as a seething pattern establishes itself to kick off “Resurrection.” A warning sound sweeps as the rhythm becomes a steady force, accelerating with galloping motion. A pulsating sound repeats with insistent energy while Damokles’ rumbling voice carries the enigmatic melody over a dance-floor-friendly beat.

The synth in the background vibrates with danger as the chorus rises with unbridled power, the rhythm becoming unavoidably trance-inducing. I enjoy the darkness within the vocals as the steadily bursting beat makes me want to move. Flaring notes vibrate beneath the catchy chorus while the low end is broken by snarling, raging sounds full of growling threat. Angular, digital-sounding synth twirls as the irresistible pulse drives forward.

Delicate sounds drift as endlessly whirling tones spin together and the track pushes on with unstoppable force. I can imagine a crowd jumping and dancing while the lyrics speak of the endless search for the return of the dinosaurs. Nervous tones vibrate as the snare drum continues to pulsate before the track finishes.

It’s been 65 million years since the last dinosaur walked the Earth. Our storyteller says that “eons passed and the mountains rose,” but now the dinosaurs might get a second birth. We’ve been “obsessed since we discovered them,” and we’re not going to stop until we resurrect them.

We’ll “bring them out of the stone, out of the sand, ’cuz we collect them, bring them back to the world to see if we can coexist.” After unearthing their remains, we name them and display them. The narrator admits, “As things are turning out, they might live to see another day.”

Scientists have been searching for DNA to recover the dinosaurs and the narrator insists, “Give it time, because we won’t rest until they are finally really here.”

“The Sword of Damokles” begins as metal clashes and bouncing, resonant synth carries a tightly spinning melodic pattern. A blacksmith’s anvil rings as a melody dancing with light sweeps, while the backing choir calls out with reverence. The rhythm is exciting while Damokles’ deep, compelling voice carries the mysterious melody.

I’m enamoured of the way in which Damokles drives the chorus with triumphant, yet darkly powerful energy above the flowing pulses beneath it. The beat subdivides as metal rings and bending notes twist. A rising, tightly spinning sound is joined by drums that thump heavily, while Damokles rumbles the words in his shadowy, stentorian voice. The chorus leaps out again, poised like a sword’s honed blade.

Now a signature keytar solo flies with victorious, arcing energy, electrifying the music while the low end continues to push forward. Once again, the chorus reverberates with dramatic expression before the song closes out.

Just when you think you’re in control, the narrator says you ought to look above your head to “see the steel, feel the cold,” because the sword of Damokles is suspended above you and it’s “hanging just by a thread.” He reminds us to remain conscious of the fact that the sword dangles there, and always will. He concludes, “When the climb feels too easy, every move falls into place, you can feel its presence and your pulse starts to race.”

A piercing tonal pattern oscillates with dramatic intensity to kick off “Infinity.” Dense shadows hover below the climbing synth which glows with galactic light while the raving groove punches. The words are carried by Damokles’ unmistakable voice, wrapped in a melody full of cosmic mystery.

Rough edges cut as Damokles calls out. A rising tone ramps up as the drums charge and the singer’s wonderfully enigmatic, deep tones transmit the haunting melody while notes radiate with the light of distant cosmic structures. A flat, tripping percussive pattern drives as the supernova glow of the synth undulates in angular motion. Chimes glitter like nebulae and Damokles carries the mysteriously twisting melody as trembling notes glide and the song ends.

Imagine that every time you stand outside and look up at the sky, someone out there is looking back at you. The narrator adds that “the reflection of yourself will multiply, every movement that you make will be repeated too.” As he talks about infinity, he points out that “Infinity is anything existing many times, anytime will always come again.” He concludes by saying that if you glimpsed it “you would surely go insane.”

“The Universe is Waiting” starts with the classic Neil Armstrong “one small step” speech before a fulminating synth pattern trembles below a deep voice-over and the frolicking low end punches forward. Exuberance explodes from the stomping drums as the melody flies on a warmly expansive synth, resonant with joyful fire, while the bass cadence presses on.

Orchestral qualities fill the rising synth, molten and full of intensity, while the unstoppable low end pounds. Elevated notes blast out while the charging drums smash hard. Damokles speaks about a future that will involve travel beyond the stars. Flipping, twirling synth shines while the pounding beat intensifies before the track comes to an end.

Dark notes move as the voiceover speaks of activating a “Synaptic Interface.” Bubbling notes rush as the windy sweep grows in power and tumbling notes move. The beat is aggressive while the seismic bass charges and the melody accelerates with thrilling dynamism. Damokles has a haunting and powerful tone as the pummeling bass and ticking drums push on.

After an exhalation, a digital-sounding synth rocks with explosive motion and an 8-bit sound bleeps. Sensations of an unbelievable future fill the voiceover as raised notes shimmy with a melody full of hopeful, progressive motion. The vocals echo with mysterious feeling while the rhythm pumps, driving the muscled low end.

High notes cascade with digital light as the rushing beat pulsates like fiber optic signals. As the words echo, I feel myself full of future premonitions while the mechanized low end throbs. The twisting synth wriggles with a smooth, futuristic sensation while Damokles chants and the song comes to an end.

We’ve been given a synaptic interface by scientists and the storyteller says, “It will change the world we live in, the entire human race.” We’ll be able to “be who you want to be, see what you want to see.” He says that as we “emerge from reality, we’ll finally be free.”

Conclusion

Then Again is a worthy album for Damokles to bring back to life. It has a fresh sound compared to his more recent work, different enough while still retaining what makes his music such a great experience, along with songs that genuinely entertain me.