Metal Underground.com

When I reviewed DimmZ's debut album "This Is Life" about a year ago, I have to admit I wasn't wild about it. It wasn't terrible, but it was plagued by poor production, muddy compositions, and weak vocals. But the instrumentals were solid, and made it decent for a first attempt. One year and a new label and album later, I have to say DimmZ has made great strides in their sound - their new release "Still Human" isn't perfect, but it's a huge improvement over their debut.

DimmZ has said they're influenced by bands like Metallica, and even though I've yet to see that translated into their songs, both this release and the original have a hefty Ramones feel. But what makes "Still Human?" so good is that it's much more diverse – offering some Motorhead sounding tracks like "Roll The Dice," and more mellow, nearly power ballad tunes like "Another One." But don't confuse them with some glam-inspired act. DimmZ has some melodic moments, but hard-hitting punk and progressive guitar riffs are always right around the corner.

Still weak vocally, DimmZ's best tracks are the ones that don't ask for a melodic sound. "Scars" is one of the better tracks, because the gruff vocals work with this song that has some definite pit potential. "Addiction" accomplishes much of the same, with a mix of mid-range vocals and growls. The galloping tempo isn't quite power metal, but somewhere between punk and early thrash, and overall the track is a good one, though probably not the best choice as an album closer.

It's not often that I can see a work in progress when reviewing a band, but in the case of DimmZ, it's almost like watching an apprentice learn his trade. "Still Human" isn't going to achieve classic status, but it's a worthy purchase and an album that should give DimmZ a big sense of accomplishment.