In a recent interview with Spain’s Made In Metal, Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz, formerly of Sepultura and now leading the Brazilian death metal band The Troops of Doom, delved into the details of their forthcoming second studio album, “A Mass To The Grotesque.” The band’s sophomore effort will be available as a limited edition vinyl LP and CD Digipak starting May 31, released through Alma Mater Records, the label owned by Moonspell‘s Fernando Ribeiro.
Discussing the distinctive sound of the new album, Jairo emphasized their intent to capture a raw and old-school essence: “Everything is more consistent and powerful on this record. Furthermore, thanks to the hands of the legendary Jim Morris from Morrisound Recording Studio in Florida, who brilliantly mixed and mastered the album, bringing to the surface that remarkable old-school sound we love. The album is alive; it breathes. Organic and low-fi, but with a contemporary sound.”
Jairo further explained their collaboration with Morrisound Recording Studio, renowned for its iconic death metal productions. “We reached out to the Morrisound guys because we’re big fans of those classics they produced back in the day. We wanted to approach that organic and visceral sound, bringing back to this new record the amazing golden years of death metal. That was our main goal, and we’re proud of what we were able to do together. Jim did a killer job! I hope all old-school death metal maniacs can enjoy it as much as we do.”
When it comes to the influences shaping their music, Jairo acknowledged a deep-rooted inspiration from legendary bands. “Slayer, Celtic Frost, Possessed, Kreator, and obviously Sepultura. They come very naturally and are basically unconscious when we’re composing riffs. It’s in our veins. But we target most of that 80s and early 90s old-school vibe. The human being is naturally nostalgic, and that feeling was something we wanted to explore further with The Troops of Doom, offering a full experience, almost like in a time machine.”
When asked what his current relationship with the Cavalera brothers and Andreas Kisser looks like, Jairo emphatically remarked on the good terms of his friendship with both camps.
“It’s the best possible. I was with Andreas recently at Summer Breeze (The metal festival celebrated recently in Brazil). We were always friends, even after the Sepultura rupture, I’ve been a friend of both sides, of course. Both Sepultura and the Cavalera brothers, when they were playing here in Brazil, always invited me to jam and things like that. We haven’t shared a stage with Sepultura yet, unfortunately, but we have already shared a stage with Max and Iggor. It was very fun!”
The Troops Of Doom was formed in 2020, during the pandemic, by Guedz. He recorded the albums “Bestial Devastation” (1985) and “Morbid Visions” (1986). Jairo left the band in 1987, making way for Andreas Kisser, who continues with the band to this day. The Troops Of Doom‘s lineup also includes other significant figures from the Brazilian metal scene, such as guitarist Marcelo Vasco, a globally renowned graphic artist known for his work with bands like Slayer, Dee Snider, Kreator, Machine Head, Soulfly, and many others. The vocalist and bassist Alex Kafer, former live guitarist for Matanza, and drummer Alexandre Oliveira, a former member of the band Tianastácia, complete the lineup.
“A Mass To The Grotesque” can be pre-ordered HERE.
