IMPENDING TRIUMPH are a duo from Belgium, and are presenting their debut self titled EP out soon via Jawbreaker Records on 5th May 2023.

The project was born out of a simple requirement to write and record a pure metal record. Singer François Blanc joined up with fellow musician Déhà to create this record in July 2020, at Magnus Opus Studios in Brussels. Despite being just 5 tracks, there’s a huge amount of variety in terms of composition and layers, that retains interest throughout its short runtime.

Over the course of the EP a fictional tale is told of an Empress by the name of Puritania who claims to be a true defender of liberty but really is a tyrant in disguise. This isn’t overtly obvious during the record, but it does allow for some cool narrative moments inserted between the many varied riffs.

It begins with a fairly standard intro, which alludes the listener with what’s to come. What follows are 4 slabs of straight up heavy metal, filled with plenty of hard riffs and some tasty lead work and catchy melodies. The band cite RUNNING WILD, MANOWAR and HELLOWEEN as influences here but personally I can’t hear that, and these 3 bands are among my favourite groups. What’s on offer here is beyond that, with some different elements from other subgenres peeking through – some of the more atmospheric sections have strong black metal overtones.

The production for an EP is pretty good. The rhythm guitars are thick with enough crunch, however the drums are lost somewhat in the mix. The double bass punches through where necessary but ultimately the drums don’t offer anything other than function. The leads are very well executed, and I wish there was more showcased here. Some of the sections are quite spectacular, which wouldn’t sound out of place on those legendary power metal tracks we know and love. The bass guitar is functional, and much like the drums it does the job. The vocals are a clear standout, with multiple layers being utilised to enhance the delivery, and the diversity sometimes made me think there were 2 different singers. It’s very well done and kept things interesting throughout.

The standout track is the EP closer “The Temple of Oblivion” which showcases all the above elements, kicking off with a mighty riff that captures the energy of a live environment. Top stuff and I’m looking forward the next release, which will be an album that’s half written already and due to be released later in 2023.

Conclusion

To sum up, this is a promising start by 2 talented musicians. The overall sound is marred slightly by average drums and bass, but the strength of the riffs and interesting vocals throughout makes this EP a great listen for fans of proper heavy metal.

THENWOTHM Score: 7/10