ALBUM REVIEW: The Sin And Doom Vol II – Impending Doom

Over the years deathcore has been one of the most competitive genres and we have seen the cream of the crop rise to the top like SUICIDE SILENCE, WHITECHAPEL, CARNIFEX to name just a few of the elite. California’s IMPENDING DOOM were in amongst the pack but with a five year absence between releases will they be able to match the incendiary momentum of the division’s finest or falter into obscurity? The five piece are poised to propel their latest effort into the atmosphere entitled The Sin And Doom Vol II which is due for release on June 22nd via Long Branch Records.

The ominous, evil tones of The Wretched And Godless lurk onto the horizon before charging at breakneck speed towards your ears instantly feeling like the opening of a portal to hell. Throwing ferocious drumming, utterly vicious vocals and bludgeoning riffs in your direction the opening track is short but incredibly violent, IMPENDING DOOM are back with an earth shattering bang. Proceeding track Burn isn’t quite as frantic but consists of further barrages of discordant bombardment intertwined with gutteral blasts courtesy of frontman Brook Reeves. before War Music‘s overlaying harmonies add another layer of wickedness onto the jarring guitar work and intricate drumming.

EVIL has zero intention of dampening the pace, grabbing you by the scruff of the neck and throwing you into a vortex of pure carnage. The fast paced devastation will have your head spinning like a scene extracted from The Exorcist. Brook‘s vocals possess an almost Iowa era Corey Taylor level of seething brutality which is spine tingling. Paved With Bones features intricate, sprightly guitar work alongside elaborately addictive drum fills which leads into the utterly demonic riffing of The Serpents Tongue. This track contains a lot of religious mentality with combatting references to God and Satan providing a very evocative experience as it hammers you relentlessly.

The melody of Unbroken shines through the frantic chaos with swift, snappy riffing akin to the intensity of WHITECHAPEL providing one of the albums particular highlights. Devil’s Den recommences the downtuned, discordant beat down as the spoken word passages add an extra element of darkness to the arrangement and the proceeding Everything’s Fake ups the sadistic mentality with such doom ridden density that it feels like the audible equivalent of being crushed in a trash compactor. Last but certainly not least Run For Your Life (She Calls)  rounds off this slab of unwavering sadism with rapid blast beats and jabbing guitar work to expel what breath remained in your body.

The Sin And Doom Vol II was just what the doctor ordered and was the kind of statement that IMPENDING DOOM needed to make with this release. Bouncing back from their prolonged absence with intoxicating intensity, letting everyone know they are not here to mess around. They’re here to rip your head clean from your shoulders and put in on a pike in their living room for all to see. At times deathcore can be quite an uninspiring genre but the melodic tinges and quirky accompanying riff work elevates this album above some of its run of the mill breakdown ridden counterparts. Watch this space, the boys are back in town.

Rating: 8/10

The Sin And Doom Vol II is out now via Long Branch Records.

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