ALBUM REVIEW: Perpetual Damnation – The Fallen Prophets
Africa is a continent that is sadly often overlooked when it comes to metal. That isn’t to say that there are no bands there, or there isn’t an audience for this kind of music, it’s just that many African bands don’t get the sort of wider recognition many European and American acts take for granted. With the odd exceptions, such as VULVODYNIA, SKINFLINT and WRUST, making an impression internationally, a lot of great bands go unnoticed, even ones that are making genuinely excellent music. THE FALLEN PROPHETS are definitely one of those bands that should be enjoying worldwide success, because each of their records not only sound fantastic, but display a level of musicianship and songwriting talent that very few underground bands can even approach. Their latest album, Perpetual Damnation, is another stunning record, blending brutal death metal, djent and deathcore together better than their first two albums, and raising the South African quintet’s already lofty creative bar even higher.
Let The Weak Suffer eases the listener into the album with ethereal guitars, before quickly turning into a meatier, rhythmic slab of death metal built around massive guitars, intricate drumming and monstrous gutturals. It’s got a solid, catchy groove, along with brief, chaotic bursts, which helps grab the listener’s attention without being too overtly extreme. Perpetual Damnation fits a more energetic and melodic mould, with imaginative leads, a frenetic undercurrent and the same punchy quality as the previous track. Lean and caustic, it’s a powerful track that blends elements of djent and deathcore into the sound to give it a broader appeal.
Eliminate The Worthless goes full throttle with blistering tempos and machine-like precision, bringing to mind VITAL REMAINS at their most belligerent, and manages to be cacophonous whilst possessing a polish and focus that allows the best hooks rise to the surface. Unending Decay reverts to a measured pace, and places emphasis on the brilliant melodic leads, which clash with the impenetrable growl of the vocals, proving to be a monolithic juggernaut with some epic flourishes and showing a grand but nonetheless aggressive side to the band’s sound. Death Has A Sound, with its muscular, galloping sound and spartan riffs, allows not only the vocals, but the drums and secondary guitar parts especially to come to the fore, coupling a tightness of execution with plenty of sudden shifts in tempo and tone which help elevate this song significantly.
The Final Destination is sharp, angular death metal at its best, with an acerbic side to it that makes it sound visceral, the fantastic counterpoint of the rumbling vocals serving as the perfect contrast to the slick and refined qualities of the music. Asphyxiation Chamber continues in a very similar vein, with thunderous, precise drumming providing great foundations on which to layer equally eclectic guitars, sludgy basslines and noxious vocals, once again showing that this band are capable of making extremely catchy modern death metal that doesn’t sacrifice any of its underlying intensity. As The Dead Swarm, another rabid piece death metal with magnificent musicianship on all fronts, perfectly balances its myriad influences, with touches of djent and deathcore creeping back into the fray without detracting from the solid death metal backbone that holds this song up.
Fatal Invocation ties the overarching ferocity that has marked this album with excellent, dancing leads and equally fantastic bass fills that both add not only depth but infectious energy to proceedings, with the vocals similarly taking on a wider range that brings in arid shrieks and dense, throaty roars. Rotten From The Bone, another slower song, is driven by inspired, soaring lead guitars, acoustic interludes and chunkier rhythms, pushing the sound more towards melodeath, whilst retaining the bestial brutal death metal that has featured prominently on many other tracks, adding new twists to the album’s established sound even at this late stage and meaning that this final song is every bit as inventive as the first.
Even a cursory listen to Perpetual Damnation will show just how impressive it is, not just in terms of underground death metal, but death metal as a whole. How many bands, even well established ones that are signed to huge labels, could even come close to producing an album that is as damn near flawless as this? Everything on it, from the music and musicianship through to the production and album art, feels like it belongs to a world class band, and it’s genuinely perplexing why a band this talented hasn’t already been snapped up by the likes of Nuclear Blast or Century Media. If there’s one (very) small gripe to be had with this album, it’s that the bass isn’t as prominent as it could have been, because when it features prominently, it sounds great. Hopefully, if nothing else, Perpetual Damnation will finally see THE FALLEN PROPHETS gain the wider acclaim and adulation that they deserve.
Rating: 9/10
Perpetual Damnation is out now via self-release.
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