Dol Ammad is the music spaceship that combines 3 initially very different music worlds and ultimately proves that good music should be free of rules, unprejudiced and universal. Mixing elements from the electronic, the operatic and the heavy-metal music worlds, Dol Ammad have created a new universe of sounds and feelings. Their music is characterized by the plethora of sounds, the adventurous compositions and the now 14 member choir (7 men – 7 women) who are the “singer” in Dol Ammad. Dol Ammad is the first project of the “Electronica Art Metal” vision of Thanasis Lightbridge.
Formed in the year 2000, Dol Ammad released 2 demo CDs in 2001 and 2002 which were incredibly well received by the metal world. In 2003 Dol Ammad recruited the talents of one of the best power/progressive drummers in the world, Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire, Sieges Even), whose input was recorded and produced in Germany’s “Gate Studio” by Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier.
Their much awaited debut album “Star Tales” was released in November 2004 and features 12 tracks of operatic progressive fantasy metal. “Star Tales” received amazing reviews and feedback and has opened the way to a steadily growing fan-base for Dol Ammad. “Star Tales” features psychedelic artwork by Brian Exton and is released in a high quality digipack format.
In 2005 while recording their second album Dol Ammad faced some difficult times when their previous label went bankrupt in the middle of their production and with Thanasis’ imminent army obligations in 2006 coming closer and closer.
However Dol Ammad managed to overcome all these problems and release their second opus in August 2006. “Ocean Dynamics” is another unexplored fantasy trip, this time inspired by the powers of the sea, that reveals the band’s maturity and evolution. Apart from an updated lineup and the once again amazing Alex Holzwarth, “Ocean Dynamics” features one of the greatest melodic metal singers DC Cooper, as a guest together with the choir in the song “Aquatic Majesty” of the album.
“Ocean Dynamics” was also received with rave reviews and positive input by fans and media. “Ocean Dynamics” features artwork made with the “Flames” technique by Andrew Ostin and is released in a high quality digipack format.
Seeking total artistic freedom and control, Dol Ammad have since 2006 formed their own personal record label “ElectronicARTmetal Records” which will carry the task of releasing and promoting Dol Ammad’s works as well as many other projects that Thanasis Lightbridge has planned for the future.
The future holds great new things for Dol Ammad. The next step will be an upcoming EP that will feature some rare tracks and an exclusive extra song that Dol Ammad did with DC Cooper during the “Ocean Dynamics” sessions.
With the creation of Dol Theeta as the more atmospheric second project of the “Electronica Art Metal” vision, Thanasis has stated that the future of Dol Ammad will be focused more on “epic” and “power” feelings!
What does “Dol Ammad” mean?
The name “Dol Ammad” is taken from one of the best PC-Games ever made, “Descent 3″ by Outrage/Interplay/Tantrum and in that game it is the name of a fuel refinery station in planet Europa. Thanasis is a big fan of the “Descent” game world and also of music bands with strange names! Etymologically however, the word “Dol” could be derived either from Tolkien’s world where it means “castle” (remember Dol Amroth) or the latin word “dolor” which means pain. (“dol” also used to be a measurement unit for pain). As for the word “Ammad” it seems that it is a Palestinian name meaning “pillar/column”. So Dol Ammad could be the “Castle of Columns” or the “Columns of Pain” ?! (Thanasis: “It’s just a strange name that I like how it sounds! ;-P)
