Review THE TROOPS OF DOOM “A Mass to the Grotesque”

Brazilian metal outfit The Troops Of Doom were formed in 2020, a year that certainly wasn’t the easiest for a band to get off the ground. Original Sepultura member Jairo Guedz is the brain behind the band, and it was the “Antichrist Reborn” album that created the first buzz.
Two years later the band follows up their debut album with “A Mass to the Grotesque”.

The Troops Of Death pick up where they left off on their debut. It’s a mixture of thrash metal and death metal that challenges your eardrums. No doubt, there are some parallels to the early Sepultura, especially when it comes to the riffing. But the untamed energy is also reminiscent of the Brazilian metal veterans.

In a way, “A Mass to the Grotesque” brings back some of the old school metal vibes, with songs like “Dawn of Mephisto” providing an excellent soundtrack for headbanging. At the same time, the song features some melodic guitar lines, bringing together the two main assets of The Troops Of Doom.

Photo: Cissa Flores

A hellish grin is what “The Impostor King” throws at you, while “Psalm 7:8 God of Bizarre” starts slow and with a strong doom vibe. A smashing riff takes over and reminds us that we are listening to a Brazilian metal band. An atmospheric middle part comes out of left field before a typical thrash metal anthem unfolds its full power.

The sound of the album is also remarkable. The entire production and recording took place in Brazil, while the mixing and mastering was done by none other than Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida.

“A Mass to the Grotesque” is a massive release. It is a successful attempt to revive the thrash metal sound of the mid-eighties, a time when the metal world began to recognise a very talented thrash metal scene in Brazil.