AS FAR AS WE GET

Dagmahr's second offering, 'As Far As We Get', which was released four years later than their more than interesting debut album, introduced Jean-Guy Mossu as the new bassist for the band. The musical ingredients are basically the same (including influences from 'Red'-era KC, 75-76 era VdGG, Fish-era Marillion, classic Rush), but the overall sound and arrangements are rougher, mainly because the more obscure aspect of their music is emphasized. All in all, their inspired sense of melody remains intact. "Last Reaction" and "Perpetual Attrition" (both, 11-minute tracks), as well as "Lightly Engaged", are captivating and varied enough to catch the most demanding listener's attention: my personal favourite of the three aforementioned tracks is "Last Reaction", since I find it the most successful at encapsulating the album's overall trend. "Inside The Egg" (Part I) is an elegant and catchy exercise in combining diverse harmonic motives (a la VDGG's "Still Life"), while (Part 2) closes the album in a very effective way. A guest musician on cello uses his instrument not for symphonic purposes, but to add special textures into the realm of layers played on organ and synthesizers by a very efficient Pierre Mascotte. Track 4 starts as a progressive ballad, full of subtle density, before a bombastic 7/8 instrumental section comes in to fill the inventive coda. IMHO, "As Far as We Get" stands as an improvement in comparison to their previous effort. It's a pity that hjese guys can't manage to keep a more consistent musical career... or maybe they've split up, I don't know... Anyway, Dagmahr is a band that should be paid more attention to in the progressive circles: the level of emotional intensity that they achieve in their material is cleverly conquered via ambiences and subtleties, not just pyrotechnics, and that's a very considerable musical achievement to my eyes.

The second album from Quebec's DAGMAHR is a little darker and as Cesar mention "rough around the edges" when compared to the debut. Still we have those heavily accented vocals and a strong Neo-Prog flavour, but I do like those darker VDGG passages.

"Outside The Egg" sounds really good early as we get a solid instrumental section with lots of bass. It settles some then we get vocals. It turns fuller late. "Last Reaction" has some cello in it before a minute then the vocals and synths return. A calm before 2 1/2 minutes.The tempo and mood continue to shift. Guitar and drums lead after 6 minutes then the synths return. A calm before 8 minutes then that heavier VDGG flavour is back to end it. "Inside The Egg Part 1" is uptempo and instrumental early. It settles with cello 3 minutes in and piano. Drums before 4 1/2 minutes as it picks back up before settling again a minute later.

"An Odd Season In The Blasphemous Garden Of Social Disease" sounds good when it settles right down before 3 1/2 minutes with atmosphere. It picks back up quickly though with synths. Guitar follows. "Pertual Attrition" is led by piano and drums early. Guitar joins in then it settles with vocals.The tempo continues to change. Organ 5 minutes in and I like the guitar after 7 minutes and the heaviness late. "Lightly Engaged" opens with acoustic guitar and reserved vocals. It kicks in around 2 minutes as the contrasts continue. "Inside The Egg Part 2" sounds like the first track eventually with that heavier instrumental sound. Nice.

Good album but not 4 stars.

Dagmahr - an excellent underated band from Canada with two albums in their pockets never gain attention they've desearve, they were a far better and intresting band then most of his conpatriots of that period combining great melodic passages in neo prog vein with darker aproach in instrumental sections very close to VDGG (Still life period). Their second offer As far as we get issued in 2001 show how big potential this band have in prog circles. The music is when energic with intricated arrangements when little mellower with complicated twists and clever interludes between musicians. As far as I remeber this album is little more edgy then the first, the darker passages are more present also keeping a good amount of neo prog atmosphere on every tune. All pieces are truly awesome, with a plus on Lightly Engaged, Perpetual Attrition and Inside the egg, captivating passages, well developed intrumental sections with deep bass lines, the keybords and guitars are impressive most of the time, Pierre Massicotte the keybord player done some fantastic job here with diverse and original motives on his instrument ( we will find him later on in another canadian neo prog band Red Sand). All in all a truly inspired album that gone under the prog radar, but for sure desearve a far more recognition. For me 4 stars easy, and recommended.