DOMAIN: Last Days of Utopia

Produced by Axel Ritt

Released: 2005

Epic symphonic neo-classical power metal. That’s Domain’s Last Days of Utopia in a nutshell. My thoughts on this genre have been expressed many times already, but this album is at least not totally worthless although I didn't find it particularly memorable.

Here is a band that definitely likes a bit of cheese with their pizza, and you need to go no further than second track “A New Beginning” to find it when Domain starts playing part of “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairies” for no seemingly apparent reason. Next is the overwhelming 9-minute “On Stormy Seas” where the guitar shredding goes on and on for minutes at a time. As overwrought as it is, the playing on this track is nevertheless mindblowing and certainly grabs your attention. Most of the other songs here boast similar displays of wankery, and in truth it’s difficult to argue with the standard of musicianship needed to pull off such audacity. In the end though, there’s nothing really here that hasn’t been done innumerable times before.

Domain has been around for twenty years, so they are definitely very comfortable in their niche and doing it well, but it’s pretty clear that they aren’t very interested in breaking any new ground whatsoever.

1. Harbor of Hope
2. A New Beginning
3. On Stormy Seas
4. The Shores of Utopia
5. Ocean Paradise
6. The Beauty of Love
7. The Great Rebellion
8. Endless Rain
9. Last Days of Utopia
10. Underneath the Blue
11. Left Alone

Rating: 50%