Dogma -- Feeding the Future, King/Mercury
If you want pure aggresive rock with high energy from four guys who know music, check out Dogma. Their debut album, FEEDING THE FUTURE, does not possess any pretences; it doesn't hint or tease the listner; rather their music is very straight forward and full throttle. This almost makes it seem as if the musicians were born with their instruments in their hands, not silver spoons in their mouths.
Guitarist/vocalist Phil Allocco and bassist Sean Carmody have been playing the New York scene with the same amount of passion since the early eighties. It hasn't left them. Now in 1997, they've arrived fully matured with two thoer talented musicians, fellow New Yorker Dave Femia on drums and backing vocals, and guitarist Randy Dzielak. Phil and Sean have managed to overcome and assemble a new band that combines vehement vocals, hard edged, stinging guitars, palpitating bass lines, and a helping of New York blues. The group says they abstain from pretentious political or social themes, but their music is not for the weak hearted. The message they deliver is one of self-realization in a world striving for perfection, yet infecting the future with superstitions, taboos and fears (hence their album's title)
The album starts off with "Cancer," a heavy, melodic tune that edges on industrial and prepares you for the ride ahead. The next song "Unexpected Ways," charictorizes Dogma's perfect synthesis of heavy guitars, melodic, earsplitting basslines and earthpounding drums. The lyrics of songs such as "Reasons" are quick=witted, questioning humanity and the reality around us with line like: "is this what life has come to/ menacing scared women like a preditor/ destroying in the name of life/ feeding the future yesterdays lies." "Conversation" is softer, yet haunting. It's a "he said/ she said" song set in the form of a real conversation that questions the yin and yang of society. "He Knows" could be compared to early Soundgarden in there Louder than Love days, a ballsy ballad epitomized by Phil's raspy, angry, revealing voice.
The magnitude of each song holds you down and ties you up. Neither Dogma, nor their music have any artificial flavours of fillers. Their dedication to their music seems as genuine as the love that streams out angrily through their instuments. It's hard to say if Dogma will be commercially successful, undoubtedly they deserve to be. However, knowing the rancid system that exists on MTV and other profit driven outlets, they might be yet another great band that slips through the cracks. We hope not
By Aleksandra Adamczyk and April Torre