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Doomed

Defacement

If you're want to understand what means to be an Avant-garde Death/Black Metal band, you must to hear to this release!
September 4, 2025
One of the greatest advantages that internet and computational technologies gave to Metal is that side projects or international bands aren't a privilege of great names on Metal (that sometimes such projects were a mess), as it was in the past decades. Today, members (usually friends) from different countries can unite and work ideas together. One very good name with musicians from different countries is DEFACEMENT, here with "Doomed", its fourth full-length. Brendan Sloan signs the mastering of the songs, giving an art finale touch to a brutal and avant-garde sonority: it's brutal and rough, allowing the aggressive parts to have an aggressive and filthy appeal, but defined and sharp on the experimental parts. And the cover of Kjetil Karlsen fits on what is musically expressed. This quartet gathers members from Netherlands, Italy and Germany, with half of them being originally from Libya. And here the ideas resulted in a form of Death/Black Metal focused on brutality and oppression, but the differential point is on some avantgarde/experimental parts (as heard on "Portrait"). Snarls, growls and screams contrasts with sets of chaotic and sharp guitar riffs and technical playing from bass guitar and drums, and different emotions flow from the songs. It's kind of different from what is usually offered in this Metal genre, but's very good. It's clear that subjective points of view will allows the hearer to have different ideas of what is heard, but of course that "Mournful", "Portrait", "Unexplainable", "Forlorn", "Worthless", "Unrecognised", "Clouding" and "Absent" are valuable songs that will really conquer many fans to the band's music, but just one spin on "Doomed" isn't enough to have a deeper idea on it. Maybe for those used to traditional extreme Metal ways would experience a hard time dealing with "Doomed" on the first time, but as long as one become used to it, DEFACEMENT will be said one of the best acts on such Metal trench today due its creativity.

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

9

Musicianship

9

Memorability

8

Production

7
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"Doomed" Track-listing:
  1. Mournful
  2. Portrait
  3. Unexplainable
  4. Forlorn
  5. Worthless
  6. Unrecognised
  7. Clouding
  8. Absent
Defacement Lineup:

Forsaken Ahmed - Vocals, Bass
Khalil Azagoth - Guitars
Tadzio - Guitars
Mark Bestia - Drums

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