After a busy period of numerous shows in South America, promoting Antichrist Reborn (2022), The Troops of Doom took a break for a great reason: the preparation for the second full-length album of the group, which has been confirmed as one of the attractions at the Summer Breeze Open Air Brasil festival in 2024.
Since the release of Antichrist Reborn, Alex Kafer (vocals and bass), Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz (guitar), Marcelo Vasco (guitar), and Alexandre Oliveira (drums) have performed shows throughout Brazil and South America. "These were very important shows, such as the Abril Pro Rock festival in Recife, Sesc Belenzinho (SP), which was actually our first complete show and sold out. We played alongside Cavalera, which were historic shows, and we toured various cities in Brazil and countries like Argentina, Chile, and Peru alongside I Am Morbid, featuring David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel). It was a tumultuous period, in a good way, and I already miss that life on the road, but we decided to take a break for a very plausible reason, which is our new album," commented Jairo Guedz.
Recently, the band renewed its contract with the Portuguese label Alma Mater Records, co-owned by Fernando Ribeiro (Moonspell). There is no release date yet, but the plans are for the first semester of 2024. "Fernando and Pedro from Alma Mater Records are not sparing any effort and truly believe in our potential. They are incredible people, very professional, and support us in all decisions, working in the right way to make everything happen smoothly. We are happy to have renewed the contract with them," declared Alexandre Oliveira.
Regarding the new compositions, Marcelo Vasco reveals that "things are taking shape": "Jairo and I were together in October where I live, in the Serra Gaúcha, working on the pre-production of the album, which is practically ready. We are now working on the lyrics and vocal arrangements. The album title has already been chosen, and there is a lot of awesome stuff being planned. We are preparing something truly special. You can trust us!"
The chosen producer, André Moraes, is a musician, composer of soundtracks for cinema, theater, and television, as well as a director of films and music videos. He has been nominated for a Latin Grammy and a MTV Video Music Brazil. He worked as the producer of Sepultura's album Dante XXI and was responsible for the soundtrack of the film Lisbela e o Prisioneiro. "Marcelo, André, and I have been friends for a long time and haven't seen each other in person for over 20 years. This reunion, and for the reason it is, will be fantastic for all of us," said Alex Kafer. "The new album further captures the essence of old-school death metal from the ‘80s and early ‘90s. It will have meticulous care in production, recording, mixing, and mastering, emphasizing the return of that true organic and 'vintage' sound of the time, not to mention the aesthetic aspect. In short, everything is being carefully chosen so that the result is impressive," he added.
"We are giving birth to material that makes us very proud! The work is intense, and we are focused on every detail, so that the experience this album conveys is unforgettable, especially for fans of old-school metal, fans of the first Sepultura albums in which I participated, as well as other influences of the time, which are part of The Troops' sound, like Slayer, Celtic Frost, Kreator... But, of course, all of this with our own special touch," concluded Jairo Guedz.
A new range of The Troops Of Doom merch is available at thetroopsofdoom.com.
Check out report #1 of the new album:
The Troops Of Doom are:
Alex Kafer (vocals and bass)
Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz (guitar)
Marcelo Vasco (guitar)
Alexandre Oliveira (drums)
