Label: Independent
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Length: 20:20
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Today I'd like to talk about Mass for the Damned, a beastly and brutal album by a band of young musicians from Leiria in Portugal. Before the release of this album, which took place on 1 December, the band had already unleashed their first demo, Piss on the Nazarene, on 17 October, followed by an EP entitled Blind Sheep, released on 23 October. In just three months, these guys have released these three opuses. Although Mass for the Damned is only 22 minutes long, it is listed as a full-length album on Metal Archives, which may come as a surprise, given that we generally expect an album to be over 30 minutes long. Anyways, this album gives to the extreme metal worshipers what they want : Bruality and raw sound.
From the very first track, Entrance to Perdition, the listener is plunged into an malevolent atmosphere thanks to an acoustic introduction accompanied by narration. This gloomy atmosphere is a common thread throughout the album, where the raw production reinforces the intensity of the tracks. Each track seems designed to provoke a visceral reaction, with riffs following one another at a frantic rhythm.
The songwriting feature powerful guitars and guttural vocals. On Cruxificion of Thruth, for example, the fast-paced riffs are accompanied by hard-hitting solos that add an extra dimension to the ambient brutality. The drums, often featured prominently, add a dynamic that keeps the energy at its peak. In Penis of the Fallen Saint, the intensity of the blast beats is particularly striking. These fast, hard-hitting passages create a frenetic atmosphere that propels the track forward, accentuating the brutality of the music. The instruments speed up, merging with the blast beats to deliver an explosive soundscape that keeps the listener on their toes.
Mass for the Damned, the eponymous track, begins with a narrative before the instrumental frenzy takes over. This contrast between calm and storm is a recurring element. Other tracks, such as I Am Your Doom, show impressive musical endurance. In this track, the vocal reaches its peak, distinguished by its raw and power, just before the solo. This intense vocal performance adds depth to the track, allowing the listener to feel the energetic power on the music.
Finally, Mass for the Damned is a work that deserves the attention of extreme metal worshippers. Its raw production and intense songwriting make it an album to try out and add to your playlist. If you're a fan of Archgoat, Blasphemy or Nunslaughter, this is the album for you.