Exclusive Interview + Review with Doomsday Manifesto on Self Titled “Vol. 1”
Tracklist
- Happy Never After, Pt. 1
- Happy Never After, Pt. 2
- Dead Eyed Lover
- Recalibration
- Retribution
- Retrospection
Review
New York extreme metal outfit Doomsday Manifesto released their newest EP "Doomsday Manifesto, Vol. 1" on December 27th, 2024. The first track, "Happy Never After, Pt. 1" introduces itself with a powerfully ominous intro with demonic vocal samples–suddenly the band launches into action with a drawn-out pinch harmonic. An onslaught of explosive guitar chugging, racing leads, brutal growls, and slamming drum grooves follow, immediately establishing a technical yet entirely extreme death metal sound. A nearly 6-minute display of intense riffs, soaring guitar solos, and an unmistakably heavy mix of death metal and NY hardcore sets the tone for the rest of the EP.
"Happy Never After, Pt. 2" blasts into being with no hesitation, hard-hitting guitar riffs soon transition into an unexpected down-tempo breakdown filled with double bass drum patterns and impossibly low growls. In a rapid change in pacing, Doomsday Manifesto jumps back into speeding thrash sections, as they utilize differences in tempo in an expert manner to create a widely varied and consistently exciting sound. The band creatively introduces dramatic silences with a distant fly buzzing which creates an unsettling and surprising effect on the listener. After an upbeat solo, the track fades out as heavy as it started.
"Dead Eyed Lover" begins with bright prog/jazz-influenced chord progressions, showing another side to Doomsday Manifesto's influences. With one of the fastest pacings of the EP so far, "Dead Eyed Lover" instantly sets itself apart with a more technical side to the band's sound. Melodic elements are influenced for the first time in the brutally heavy sound as distant clean singing is layered behind prominent screams and growls. Racing blast beats work alongside bright guitar leads to create an intricate and enjoyably hectic sound that reminds of technical death metal/deathcore.
"Recalibration" starts off with black metal-inspired tremolo guitar and dark instrumentals before catapulting into heavy-hitting riffage and brutally deep growls. Doomsday Manifesto shows a commitment to experimentation with different influences while staying true to their extreme metal roots, in a way that many bands are unable to balance. Prominent distorted guitar leads create layers of melody overtop of vocal and percussive brutality before the song fades out with a crushingly heavy death metal groove.
"Retribution" starts with a more traditional death metal sounds as blast beats, ferocious growls, and fast-paced instrumentals take the stage. Descending guitar melodies create a dark sound as cowbell dings create a percussive yet rhythmic element. In an unexpected change of events, Doomsday Manifesto switches into a hardcore-styled downtempo breakdown as distorted screeches fill the background, reminding us of acts like Bodysnatcher. Already showcasing genres like death metal, black metal, progressive/technical metal, and hardcore throughout the EP, Doomsday Manifesto exhibits an impressive array of influences in their music.
"Retrospection" starts off with fierce guitar chugs as bright synths are introduced for the first time, adding a new electronic element to the band's sound. At just over 6 minutes, "Retrospection" introduces Doomsday Manifesto's signature brutal sound while adding new electronic and synth elements that remind us of old sci-fi movie effects. The New York metal act creates intricate atmospheres with instrumental and vocal layering to produce wildly heavy yet deliberate soundscapes.
Overall, Doomsday Manifesto released an impressive EP with their self-titled "Vol. 1". Fans of all extreme metal genres will certainly enjoy the band's concoction of hardcore, death metal, deathcore, black metal, and technical metal genres while creating a sound distinct to the band. You can stream Doomsday Manifesto's debut EP out now.
We also got the chance to talk to the full band about their thoughts on the new EP, musical influences, what they do in their spare time, and what's next for the band.
Doomsday Manifesto Interview
- How would you describe Doomsday Manifesto's music?
Mongrel: Our music is aggressive and complex. brutal enough to jam out to, with enough substance for those who want something to sink their teeth into.
Dan Bearpig: Brutal technical death metal with a prog twist.
Zach Manifest: Brutal death metal with versatility.
Mongrel: We're not really trying to be pigeonholed into any subgenre of Extreme Metal, there's a bit of everything in there.
- What are your biggest musical influences?
DBP: Growing up in the Albany, NY hardcore scene got me influenced by everything from Section 8 to Wartime Manner, Disciples Of Berkowitz, Wasteform, and Skinless.
M: We each have different Influences, I think we're all influenced by; Skinless, Suffocation, Ingested, and Dethklok. I would say there's a ton of that mixed with influences from other subgenres of metal in our music. I bring The Black Dahlia Murder, In Flames, Children of Bodom, and Ihsahn/Emperor into our sound.
Strudel: My biggest influences are Sepultura (the Cavalera years), Suffocation, and countless grind/death metal/ NY hardcore bands
Z: Cannibal Corpse, Skinless, Suffocation, Dimmu, Ingested, and I've been really influenced by Summoning the Lich–David Bruno is I believe one the best vocalists in death metal RN.
- What is the self-titled EP about and what does it mean to the band?
DBP: The new EP personally is a new turn in my death metal writing, collaborating with people with different influences than me and coming out with something different than other people are doing.
Z: I believe this EP is showing people who we are and what is to come from us. It's a bit of heartache and pain and world take over.
M: Our EP is our Debut to the world, and to the local scene here in Albany. When Dan and I first started working together, we each brought 3 songs to the table of varying completeness. It only seems right for those first 6 songs to be how we introduce ourselves.
- How did the band form?
Z: The Band formed from our visionary Mongrel, who found BearPig which led to BearPig and myself getting in contact over a FB post he made. And then we recorded the EP and then Strudel joined.
M: I moved to Albany in June of 2020, My GF encouraged me to get back into music after about 10 years hiatus from playing in bands, I found Dan in October '22, him and I started getting together in early '23 and found Zach about halfway through the process of producing our EP last summer. Strudel joined us on Bass while we were filming our first playthrough videos, he films and edits our videos.
DBP: The band formed when I left my last band, Tyranize, looking to do something a little unique. I sat home and wrote and recorded some demo songs, then this dude hit me up. I find out he's less than a mile away, completely new to any music up here, and he was doing the same thing I was, only with his influences. So we traded demo songs, we each rewrote them, and we liked what came out of them.
- What is the story behind the band name Doomsday Manifesto?
Z: That's Mongrels doing lol
DBP: The band name, for me, came up in a list Cliff made of possibilities. We narrowed the list according to whether it was already an active band or and just personal taste, then picked one from what was left.
M: The band name was on a list of about 20 names I came up with, I polled friends, family members, and potential early band members with, I tallied up all the votes, and Doomsday Manifesto was tied I think for most votes, I started designing logos for the winners, Dan liked the Logos I came up with for Doomsday Manifesto and the DM pentagram emblem I was able to make so we stuck with it. Also, our music is mostly focused on apocalypse themes.
- What does the band enjoy doing outside of music?
S: Aside from playing music I love fishing and camping.
M: We had a nice BBQ at Zach's house after he joined, I'm a huge Nerd so I play Magic: The Gathering, DND, Chess, and collect Comic books.
Z: We like to attend shows together, and do family-related stuff when we get the chance. Personally, I dabble a lot in acoustic guitar, and I like to go to the gym.
DBP: Outside of music, I'm a mechanic and part-time tinkerer, some video games but mostly, trying to make good memories for my family.
- What is one band you hope to collaborate/perform with in the future?
DBP: I'd love to be recorded by Erik Rutan at Mana Studios.
M: I'd like to work with Entheos, I'm a huge fan and part of their 'golden lobster' community on twitch/discord. I'd love to perform with them and/or have Chaney do vocals on a song!
Z: Me personally, I would love to do a Collab with Summoning the Lich or have David Bruno Collab with us. I just think they are brutal and he's a phenomenal vocalist.
- What's next for Doomsday Manifesto?
Z: Just keeping on the grind and releasing music is what's next for us. Just making sure people know who we are when they hear us.
DBP: Next for us? We've been writing and rewriting, the next 2-3 years are mapped out, tons more where thats coming from so just hang out and keep your ears and eyes open.
M: We have a few more singles in the works, we're thinking of putting out a cover to show some love to one of our non-death metal influences, and a full-length album that will hopefully be out this summer, it's a concept record called Necrocrisis that will expand on the story beats presented in the songs from the Doomsday Manifesto Vol. 1 EP
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