The Troops of Doom is a band that burst onto the scene with their top-notch death/thrash. A lineup featuring incredible musicians, including the legendary guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz . And music that takes us straight back to the extreme metal of the 80s/90s. In their debut album, Antichrist Reborn (2022), the band presented the world with a powerful work, full of technique, brutality, and grit. Therefore, it became one of the highlights of that year.
Now in 2024, the band returns with their second album, A Mass to The Grotesque . The album will be available on May 31st (via Alma Mater Records ). We had the opportunity to listen to it in advance (many thanks to the great Jairo Guedz for sending it). And now we're telling you what this album brings to the fans.
Work based on Oldschool
The first point we should highlight is the change in the album's production. This time the band worked with André Moraes (who has previously worked with Sepultura ). The recordings took place at Estúdio Audio Porto , in Porto Alegre. However, the songs were mixed and mastered at Morrisound Recording , in Tampa, Florida. And by none other than the legendary Jim Morris . Morris has worked with bands such as Morbid Angel , Death , Cannibal Corpse , Deicide , among others.
The result was something cleaner and more organic, yet without abandoning the band's grit and aggression, also allowing melodies to be more apparent amidst this brutality. The album also features incredible artwork by the master Dan Seagrave , who has previously worked for Entombed , Benediction , Suffocation , Pestilence , among others. This added an extra classic touch to the album.
The Troops of Doom making metal "bad" again
The album opens with the instrumental “Solve Et Coagula – Introduction.” It’s a disturbing track that creates an atmosphere of terror and the feeling that something bad is approaching. Following that, “Chapels Of The Unholy” explodes from the speakers with a powerful guitar riff. Alex Kafer Alexandre Oliveira ’s drums command the rhythm with precise and ferocious beats. The song speaks of a ritual with black candles, pipes invoking demons, and the sentence of going to hell and back, as seen in the excerpt:
“The preacher, now a seeker
In realms obscures
His faith overthrown
Seeking something pure
He hates all saints
The prophecy in flames
All men, disgraced
Sentenced to hell and back”
“Dawn of Mephisto” begins with a mesmerizing guitar lick before dropping into a muted, thrash-infused guitar riff. The track features a catchy chorus, with Kafer once again showcasing the power of his voice, while the guitar duo of Jairo and Marcelo Vasco deliver a riff clearly inspired by heavy metal bands, giving the song an epic tone. This is one of the great highlights that demonstrates the band's versatility.
Music with different styles, but always with a lot of weight
In “Denied Divinity,” the band presents a more direct and simple sound, following the death/thrash line, with vocals alternating between the most aggressive and the most normal, in addition to a killer guitar solo. “The Impostor King” evokes Behemoth in many parts, with riffs bordering on Blackened Death Metal, and has an energy that will make this track work very well live. “Faithless Requiem” is another merciless onslaught, with a guitar sound that makes you sway, such is the power of the riff made by Guedz and Vasco.
Thanks to this, it ends up being one of the heaviest tracks on the album, featuring a shredding solo right at the beginning, with Kafer sounding monstrous and the tireless drums delivering blast beats and fills that will have anyone headbanging to the same rhythm.
“Psalm 7:8 – God of Bizarre” is more measured, its tempo closely resembling what Slayer did on “Seasons In The Abyss,” and it also features another great performance by Kafer, blast beats full of fury, and a face-melting guitar solo. The track's more than eight minutes might seem daunting at first, but it's so good that you don't even realize it's over.
The album surpasses its predecessor with much greater aggression
The speed returns with “Terror Inheritance,” featuring a barrage of riffs, an energetic chorus, and power to energize the audience at a show. Another one that will sound great when played live. “The Grotesque” shows the band again alternating between speed and more measured parts, highlighting Alexandre's drumming full of blast beats and Kafer's vocals, which give another lesson on how extreme metal should be sung.
“Blood Upon The Throne” has a monstrous and evil riff, which stands out for its heaviness and doom metal drive. This is another track that doesn't stick to just one rhythm, and has some faster parts where thrash metal takes over, and you don't even realize that three minutes have already passed.
The album closes with "Venomous Creed," which features intricate moments with excellent drum breaks. Again, the alternation between tempo and speed is present, and another great solo marks the end of this hallucinatory journey to hell.
With this release, The Troops of Doom shows that they don't just live off the past of their members. And that the band is already one of the biggest names in national and international metal, with a top-notch album. The structure of each song captivates the listener, and you'll find yourself playing the album from the beginning several times, such is the quality of each track and how well they work together overall.
Even though it's only May, it wouldn't be premature to say that this is a strong contender for best album of the year!
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