Album Review: Downfall Of Mankind – Purgatory (Seek & Strike)

Portugal’s modern extreme metal powerhouse Downfall of Mankind will release their new album ‘Purgatory’ on the 14th of June, 2024, via Seek & Strike.

Take note other metal bands, this is how do an intro. Not only does the opening salvo from this album sound bombastic as hell, it also allows Downfall of Mankind to show off some of their heavy credentials. It’s a very cool start, getting the head banging nice and early, and builds anticipation for what will follow.

Which just so happens to be an album of thick modern extreme metal, twisted by big cinematic touches, and tortured by darkness. Just when you think something like the title track can’t sound any more savage, along comes some impressive melody and a catchy chorus. Tell me you’re not beating your chest in the latter part of this song, and I’ll call you a liar. Having Matthew kiichichaos Heafy on guest vocals certainly doesn’t do any harm either.

The bar has been set, and it’s a mighty high one. Yet, there is no drop in quality with the crashing and smashing beastliness of God of Nothingness. A track that takes its cues from the worlds of death metal and deathcore, but is littered with big symphonic sounds. Nor is there anything to complain about with Weard Ov Hell, a more experimentally horror-laden track, and Self-Loathing’s brutish approach to rhythm.

You’re going to be feeling like you’ve been smacked around the head a few times at this stage. Especially as that comes with the more focused, but still furious sounding, Down the Barrel of Madness. It’s the drums and guitars that make this a special track, but an unexpected melodic drop is not unwelcome either.

Some may bemoan the album’s cleanliness, but with so many layers, I can appreciate the lack of grubbiness to it. That being said, As Much as Your Sorrow might be a little bit too clean and certainly finds Downfall of Mankind pushing a more accessible extreme sound. It’s not a bad song by any stretch, but the chorus pushes its luck and the melodic segment at the end does very little.

That it’s followed by Blinding Rage’s lack of inspired elements does make the album seem like it’s on a downward trend. Happily though, The Cease’s fiery stance and dramatic cinematic soundscape is such a blast, the brief dip in quality is immediately forgotten.

Do you want to hear Downfall of Mankind do something a bit different though? Then the finale of Consumed by Strife will give you exactly what you want. A melodically-charged, moody, and epically-tinged piece that proves unequivocally that they have so much more to offer than just extreme speed and heaviness.

So much of this album has the potential to turn heads. Downfall of Mankind might sit in the more extreme side of metal, but they’ve managed to make their sound more accessible. Purgatory could be a huge album for them in the end.

Downfall of Mankind – Purgatory Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. Purgatory
3. God Of Nothingness
4. Weard Ov Hell
5. Self Loathing
6. Down the Barrel of Madness
7. As Much as Your Sorrow
8. Blinding Rage
9. The Cease
10. Consumed By Strife

Links

Big Cartel | Facebook | Instagram