London-based experimental heavy outfit Troy The Band release their second album (des), which blends doom, shoegaze, noise rock and metal into an ever-shifting sonic identity. After their 2024 debut album `Cataclysm`, the band parted ways with their original vocalist and have confirmed Ana-Maria Terr Bordei as their new permanent vocalist and already have nearly an album’s worth of new material since her arrival.
The band`s second album `(des)` is a collaborative follow up to `Cataclysm` featuring a cast of guest vocalists across every track.
The album comes alive with `Porous` a heavy prog like stop start slow burn with vocals from Soozi Chameleone ex-Dead Witches and Satlan bellowed atop. We have a trio of vocalists with Peter Holland (Elephant Tree), Kay Elizabeth (Black Orchids) and Caine Hemmingway (Believe in Nothing) adding their talents to ‘Journey’s End’ which has a distant almost remote math rock texture which become enticingly hypnotic as it evolves. There`s some shimmering riffs, heavy bass and pounding drums that guide us along and just after the midpoint the vocals shift and become screeched and growled creating a sense of anguish.
`Nothing’ races off with screamed vocals from Jake Packham of Doom/Sludge Metal/Hardcore outfit Black Groove before easing into a rhythmic groove while retaining the unclean vocal style throughout it`s journey. We again have singer Soozi Chameleone but this time along with Matt Sutton of Tayne guesting on the pulsing `Denial`, a number that almost has a kind of over confidence about it.
The instrumental `Requiem` although brief does have a sense of underlying lament. Sludge metal Believe in Nothing`s Caine Hemmingway who is recognised for his confrontational, immersive live performances adds his intense vocal presence to ‘The Moment’ which had a real sense of anguish and anxiety.
`Memory Glowing` opens with a throbbing bassline and drumbeat as Peter Holland from stoner, doom, psychedelic rockers Elephant Tree gently leads us in with Kay Elizabeth from psychedelic rock/groove metallers Black Orchids whose vocals join and compliment his style. The co-vocalists allow a sense of dreaminess to the composition but there`s a sense that things could change as the track develops with some shimmering and intricate guitar chords. There`s a subtle upping of the depth and intensity of sound as the number progresses and the final section becomes marvelously absorbing. The wonderfully titled ‘Adoration of Ill Luck’ features the bands newest member Ana-Maria Terr Bordei from Saturnian ritualistic band Codex Serafini whose rich vocal delivery drives this doom laden offering along with it`s reeling and rolling consistency.
The final cut `Choke` welcomes the return of Caine Hemmingway and Jake Packham along with David Burdis from experimental duo Black Shape and musician and producer Ryan Denham on this quite strange submission. It begins with a kind of pleading before developing a fairly aggressive style. As the number advances we have snatches of whistling along with spoken word before the closing fragment is enveloped with unclean vocals giving the overall effect a kind of magnetism.
One of the many social media sites referred to the band as “An amorphous blend of doom, shoegaze, noise rock and metal. Enveloping you in a wall of sound both familiar and strange” and to be fair that`s a pretty accurate summation. The album has some immensely almost hostile sections along with some more gentle, tender and melodic passages. An album that could be described best with the idiom of an iron fist in a velvet glove.
`(des)` is an interesting concept whose premise of guest vocalist suited this release but with the addition of Ana-Maria Terr Bordei to the current lineup of bassist Sean Durbin, drummer Jack Revans and Sean Burn guitar, it will be interesting to discover how the band will progress and grow.
Rating 8/10
