I haven't heard the band's debut album but I have to admit that this second release was a quite sweet surprise for my ears. THE DOGMA hails from Italy and their style is (symphonic?) power metal that often flirts with more hard rock influences and a U.S. metal appetite (some SAVATAGE references here and there).
I know that Italy is swamped with such kind of bands. I also know that the majority of those bands doesn't pass the mediocrity barrier. Unfortunately power metal has turned into a clinical / sterile genre of metal (in most of the occasions). Very few acts manage to add some flavor to their music - THE DOGMA are definitely one of them! Though there are some happy moments in this album the whole outcome is quite heavy and compact. The atmosphere is moody enough for the symphonic orchestrations (warning this is not a RHAPSODY OF FIRE Smurf kind of album) to craft a feeling of grandeur.
The opener A Good Day To Die is a quite bombastic kicker (The Beginning Of The End is only a short intro) that pretty much includes all the elements of the band's music.  By only objection is the voice of Daniele Santori that though he's talented no doubt he still can't shake off the known Italian accent. Apart that I can't really find any flaws in the album. The material is quite diverse, most of the songs ideas can be considered at least interesting, the majority of the songs are quite catchy and the production by Siggi Bemm (TIAMAT, THE GATHERING, SAMAEL among others) is excellent.
In overall there are eye-popping evidences of a hard working band with a good taste when it comes to music. There's a lot of things going on this album so several listening is required. Check them out.