21st November 2023

Review: “Last Days” by Impending Doom

It seems strange to say it but “Last Days” marks the first independent record in the career of Riverside Californian Deathcore mainstays Impending Doom since their 2005 demo “The Sin and Doom of Godless Men“. Since they’ve released six albums, two splits and now this, their second back to back EP following 2021’s critically acclaimed “Hellbent” which was completed with Will Putney (Knocked Loose, Body Count, Fit For An Autopsy) at the helm. It’s also the second release to have the same group of musicians on it with original members Brook Reeves, David Sitting and Manny Contreras joined by drummer Andrew Holzbaur once more…

The purveyors of Goreship get things started in predictable fashion with the heavy hitter that is “Eternal” having buried dark synths that provide a dark atmospheric to add colour to the powerhouse rhythmic battery and throat splitting vocals. An instantly headbangable affair that offers no comprise while at the same time doesn’t reinvent the wheel does exactly what you’d expect. It’s the nuances which make this one special, a spoken word moment between thunderous percussive moments, staccato riff breaks and the winds of plague combine to sprinkle the stardust, the quality being undeniable. “In The End” continues in the same vein as Impending Doom reach Thy Art Is Murder levels of destruction with consummate ease, Contreras adding some DJent fuelled riffs before a classic “Bleigh!” moment from Reeves, which is sure to crack a smile on the face of even the hardest of Metal Heads. 30 seconds of downtempo bass groove sends a chill down the spine with the haunting synths while acting as moment of contemplation before “Spit” provides a bitch slap. There are KoRn like programming moments in this one, the introduction harking back 1999 despite the brutality of Deathcore Groove laden wrap which Impending Doom place upon it. That’s not a bad thing because it gives the cut an air of familiarity, while the piledriving rhythms hit just as hard as the earlier cuts. A powerhouse offering, “Last Days” confirms that there is plenty of life left in Impending Doom yet [7/10]

Track Listing