There is a sore lack of pure, dirty, gritty, heavy Metal out there - but it's always the Southern Californians who seem to know when to bring it. "Death Will Reign", the new album from Deathcore contenders IMPENDING DOOM has hit the Metal Temple shores with enough brute force coupled with a refined sense of practiced restraint, making the album a very interesting tribute to IMPENDING DOOM's biggest influence, gore.

For starters, "Death Will Reign" is mixed and produced by Will Putney, the man behind some of Metal's biggest modern chuggers: THY ART IS MURDER, SUICIDE SILENCE, and LAMB OF GOD. The resulting amalgamation of IMPENDING DOOM'S early Death Metal influences to their later Deathcore path and even a dash of some unrelenting, heavy Doom Metal makes for an album with the chugging power of a 19^th century steam train - the kind of filthy, grimy, metal machine that soldiers on relentlessly and deliberately.

Every instrument including the vocals have been fine-tuned to exert intense fury and purpose - from the pulsing bass and electrifying riffs to the very controlled drums - creating a dark and bleak atmosphere that blends effortlessly with the numbing power of pure Metal heaviness. IMPENDING DOOM's earth-shaking approach to variation makes "Death Will Reign" an undeniably dynamic album, with no shortage of creepy auras, gritty rawness, and blazing aggression. But that's not to say it's all heavy all the way - IMPENDING DOOM know when to bring in softer elements and more mid-paced rollers, dabbing a few of those influences here and there. Not enough to make a lasting impression, but just enough so that the original gore stance of IMPENDING DOOM is not overshadowed.

The lyrics also have far more depth to them compared to those of other Deathcore acts. There are no senseless repetitions of gory illusions, but rather the lyrics take a turn for the philosophical and prosaic. They certainly don't appear to be trying too hard, showing that understatement sometimes works better than overdoing it.

This is overall a commendable effort packed with variety, from softer piano intros to full on breakdowns. If it's a taste of something original that you're looking for, you might have to move on to the next aisle, but if you've been following IMPENDING DOOM for some time, rest assured that "Death Will Reign" makes for a worthy addition to your library - a well-thought-out and excellently produced crusher that completes the collection.