By Robin Ianson
Ambition in the music industry is a good thing. It can help keep a band going through the lowest of lows and give bands the courage to push music in new directions or explore new sounds and ideas. Every once in a while a band comes along that is far too ambitious for its own good. DAATH is a shining example of ambition elevated to delusional levels.
Named after the Hebrew word for knowledge, DAATH claims their purpose is to explore the esoteric and mystical concept of the Tree of Life, a spiritual diagram originating from the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. The Tree of Life has 13 nodes in it and as such DAATH will release 13 albums, each with 13 songs on it. Placing this grandiose concept in the hands of a death-metal band may sound like a recipe for disaster, but somehow DAATH manages to pull it off.
DAATH take the traditional death-metal formula of machine gun drumming and Cookie Monster vocals and change it up, infusing hooks, catchy choruses and even touches of electronica into their songs.
DAATH may fail in realizing their stupendously ambitious concept, but it does little to detract from the fun.