One day back in 1984 the world was presented with a Latin American band that with their Trash Metal with some latin grooves would later take the world. SEPULTURA was born with the now famous Max and Igor Cavalera, Paulo Xisto on the bass and Jairo Guedz on the solo guitar. Who? you may ask. And I will respond that Jairo was the first guitar player of the first SEPULTURA album Morbid Visions from 1986. Due to personal problems at the young age of 16, Jairo left the band and was replaced by Andreas Kisser. The rest, you probably know. However, after years of being hidden from the metal scene, Jairo decided to go back to his Thrash Metal origins and created the band TROOPS OF DOOM named after one of his early SEPULTURA songs. TROOPS OF DOOM is now releasing their second full length album A Mass To The Grotesque via Alma Matter Records.

After a brief introductory instrumental, the album hits us with “Chapels Of The Unholy” and you can see his influence on his previous band. Pure Thrash mixed with a little Black Metal and a lot of energy. The heavy chugs will continue with “Dawn Of Memphisto” that has a long introduction preparing you for relentless speed and brutality. No complication or guitar histrionics. Their songs are direct and full of tasty riffs in each song. “Denied Divinity” shows that the album may have a theme that is followed in every song and the theme is basically religion and their lies with the Devil taking over and opening your eyes kind of. “The Impostor King” keeps the energy and speed showing clear influences of early Thrash like SLAYER, MORBID ANGEL and off course SEPULTURA. The good bass player and singer Alex Kafer has a voice that sounds like a mix of Tom Araya from SLAYER and Tom Angelripper from SODOM. Both Toms, and both singers and bass players like Alex.

You can hear “Faithless Requiem” and let me know if I am right. It seems that we change the speed a little on “Psalm 7:8 - God of Bizarre” that has also a long instrumental introduction and keeps the heaviness throughout despite slowing down a little. The band has accomplished musicians like guitar players Jairo and Marcelo Vasco that seem to share rhythm and solos equally. Marcelo Vasco is also an acclaimed graphic artist for the likes of SLAYER, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, SOUFLY, HATEBREED among others, and I believe his also responsible for the cover art on this TROOPS OF DOOM album.We are back to the good speed with “Terror Inheritance” that for my taste is the highlight so far. Simple and direct despite the many relentless riffs. In an imaginary world I could see Jairo remaining in SEPULTURA as I now believe the early albums of this famous band have his touches and influences all over it. However, TROOPS OF DOOM is another great addition to the world metal scene, and by carving their way with competent albums like this one, I do hope that they can reach a deserved recognition. With a more intricate arrangement, and yet another long instrumental introduction we get the brutal “The Grotesque” that for me is another highlight of this album.

The band also has a killer drummer in Alexandre Oliveira. Precise at 120 or 30 mph, he has all the good features a drummer of the genre should have. The band prepares each song with a prelude of riffage showmanship that sometimes can be long or short ,but serves the songs well as you can see in the doomer and gloomer “Blood Upon The Throne ''. We end this good album with “Venomous Creed”, a great Trashy punch in the face. TROOPS OF DOOM emanates the greats of the genre despite being a new band in the scene. Good work. É Brasil Porra!