Impending Doom is about to release their sixth studio album The Sin and Doom Vol. II. The Christian Deathcore band from Southern California has created a biting, ambitious new record. Let me tell you, this IS NOT your grandmother’s worship music! A personal friend described them as “a Christian band that sounds like Satan coming up out of Hell.” Poetically ironic and well said.
Impending Doom brings together honest, thoughtful lyrics with unforgiving brutality to create a unique brand that they describe as “Gorship”. In essence, worship music incorporated with the band’s love of God and of gore-like heavy music. As a result of that self-description, this has often been mistaken for gore worshiping, hence the name. Therefore, they are quick to offer the aforementioned explanation and clear things up. They also thought up the Repentagram, which again, doesn’t have a satanic connotation as the name may suggest. “Since we are a Christian death metal band we wanted to think up something clever” they stated. “We are going for making a Christian death metal symbol”. This could be enough to send you for the hills. If you’re open to something different, there is an authentic message.
Furthermore, this isn’t music that vaguely touches on religion and presumes to be something it’s not either. In the song “Serpents Tongue” you can clearly hear the lyrics “I am a Christian, a faithful man of God”. The song later declares that “Jesus died for you” – and in the most hardcore way possible. This comes from the band’s decisive and united stance on their beliefs. Personal struggles, in addition to the members' own salvation, serve as a collective source of inspiration to draw upon. The tone is unwavering and unapologetic, to say the least. The Sin and Doom Vol. II delves into our society’s constant downward spiral, while still offering that beacon of hope for humanity.
The subject matter maybe is not for everyone. Yet the delivery is something that even the blackest of hearts can enjoy. Low, guttural vocals commandeer that message authoritatively over hammering blast beats and a relentless energy. Don’t worry; it is damn well punishing enough for even the most critical, die-hard fans of the genre. Opening track “The Wretched and Godless” perfectly sets the album’s pace and will show you exactly what you’re going to hear throughout the rest.
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To make this record, the band took a much more hands-on approach rather than a lengthy production process though Christopher Eck (who produced on the first album) did assist. As an end result, Impending Doom is largely responsible for the finished product. It seems like it is more organic and less polished, but that only adds to its street credibility.
If you're like me and not into the genre, then it’s still enjoyable, yet be advised on what you’re getting into. Deathcore does not sound very melodic. There are moments like the semi-melodic intro or “War Music” or the underlying melody on “Everything’s Fake." So if you’re into a variety of tempos, shiny riff, and whatnot, this is not that. It is a straight-forward, heavy hitting assault of the senses.
Score: 6/10
The Sin and Doom Vol. II comes out June 22nd via Entertainment One.
