ALBUM REVIEW: Damnation – Burning The Oppressor

Canada’s BURNING THE OPPRESSOR follow up 2017’s Bloodshed with an even more fierce offering in their latest opus Damnation, their first for new label Candlelight Records. As this is a fresh start on a new label, the band do their best to impress with this record and largely succeed in doing just that.

BURNING THE OPPRESSOR waste no time at all in going straight for the jugular with the frenetic opening combo of Cannibal K and The Oppressor, both of which are huge slices of technical deathly goodness with a good helping of thrash energy thrown into the mix too. It starts the album off with a bang, which continues as the haunting Martyrize and the bruising Black Eye follow quickly – both tracks are punishing examples of what BURNING THE OPPRESSOR do best.

While this impressive opening combo and in fact, the majority of the album, is quality, there are a few tracks in the middle of the album that can’t quite match others on Damnation and aren’t quite as memorable either. That said, BURNING THE OPPRESSOR make up for it with their sheer enthusiasm and execution of their heavy and technical sound.

Thankfully, the album ends on a high note with Infamous Human Beast and Insanity matching that high octane start of the album. The sheer heaviness of these tracks is quite breathtaking. Damnation concludes with an absolute stormer of a track with the epic and stunning Warrior which features a guest appearances by Simon Girard from fellow Canadian technical death metallers BEYOND CREATION. This closing song makes sure that Damnation ends on an even more triumphant note and has to be the best song on the album, with its mixture of technical proficiency and out and out venom ensuring that as album closers go, it makes a hell of a statement.

Ultimately, Damnation is an album that is vicious but also laced with an energetic catchiness. That, coupled with the band’s straight ahead brutality, gives it an energetic quality and while the middle of the album doesn’t quite match up to the startling beginning and strong conclusion, it still makes for an enjoyable listening experience – one that BURNING THE OPPRESSOR have every right to be proud of.

Rating: 7/10

Damnation is set for release on October 29th via Candlelight Records.

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