Doomsday: Doomsday

Everybody is talking about the end of the world these days. I guess this renewed excitement in the end of the world has something to do with the stories about the Mayan calendar not extending past 2012 (or something to that effect). I don't understand all the hype, but I am interested in the way everybody is cashing in on the notion of the end. It was T. S. Eliot, I think, who reminded us that the world may end with a "whimper" rather than a "bang," but I suppose that's a discussion for another day.

As for the matter at hand, Doomsday is offering fans a self-titled release that is full of apocalyptic fervor. Just a quick glance at some of the song titles suggests that this album is chock-full of fascination with death, despair, and decay. The band itself, a kind of supergroup formed from former members of Nachtmystium and current members of Bones, Goatwhore, and many others. I won't even try to compare what I'm hearing here with the sounds of all these (and other) bands; suffice it to say that this is largely a release drawn from a mixture of death metal, occasional speed metal, and crust. I really liked the way this album sounded, especially the pounding onslaught of the guitars on tracks like "Empty Vessel" and "Bring Down the Knife." The closing passage at the end of the latter was especially cool. The rest of the album is good, but I found that too many of the songs were variations on the same idea and didn't seek higher, or at least different, ground. I would have preferred a little more variety in the songwriting, especially from a group of musicians drawn from so many bands. My other complaint is that this is a very short work--clocking in at only 22 minutes. Perhaps it's only a taste of things to come; if so, I suggest that Doomsday highlight even more their brutal guitar sound and add variety in the vocals and songwriting. Wouldn't hurt to think outside the box on the lyrics and song titles either--too many bands these days draw on sacrificial imagery and attempts to shock the listener.

Track Listing:
1. She Will be the One
2. The Punishment
3. Bring Down the Knife
4. Empty Vessel
5. Black Judas
6. I Kill Everything I Fuck

Added: November 7th 2012
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1625
Language: english

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