Given the age of these guys, it is somewhat difficult to realise that this line-up has been together since 2009 when Bryce Patten (guitars, backing vocals) joined forces with Daniel Carleton (lead vocals), Alex Carleton (guitars, backing vocals), Ben Pegman (bass) and Ben Bakker (drums). In 2021 they released the excellent Deceit EP, and here at the end of 2022 they are back with their latest single, War Cry which has just blown me away. One of the real joys of DoH are the huge number of influences and musical styles they are impacted by. I have seen Bryce attend probably as many folk gigs as I have seen him at metal, while both Ben Bakker and Alex have recently been treading the boards with Xile.
When I started playing this, I felt the latter had been having an impact as the vocals are raw and, in your face, over the top aggression, but even then, the dual guitars are controlled and providing joint harmonies. Ben Bakker provides double kick drums, Ben Pegman provides the foundation to allow the guitars to link in and riff or go off at tangents, but about a minute into the four-minute piece one realises this is something else, as the bridge takes us into something way more melodic. We are soon back with the raw violence, but it is now tempered with the knowledge that something else is coming, and halfway through there is no doubt that we are in the grip of a classic metallic masterpiece as the song keep lifting and changing. If it wasn’t so late in the year, this would have been high in my Top 10, as the twin guitar lead at three minutes is sheer delight with the rhythm section going nuts with Alex and Bryce in perfect harmony.
Some of the bass counter melodies are sublime, while Dan is singing the best I have ever heard him. To say they have taken a step up in every single area is a massive understatement, and anyone who says they know what Downfall of Humanity can deliver needs to have a rethink, as this is a band on the rise. On Thursday I will be at Whammy, and on the basis of this they are out to destroy.
About the author Kev Rowland
From 1990 – 2006 I ran Feedback fanzine in the UK, writing about bands that were rarely covered in the mainstream press, many of whom were in the underground scene. I built close ties with many British Progressive groups in particular, including writing the newsletter for Freewill, getting gigs for Credo and writing the introduction to Galahad’s OCMDII compilation. I reviewed literally thousands of cassettes and then CDs from bands from throughout the world, and was lucky enough to interview many of them. During this period I also contributed to the French progzine Acid Dragon, wrote for the music newspaper Rock ‘n’ Reel and was also involved with the Ghostland website. In 2006 I moved to NZ, and stopped running Feedback (which was then renamed Amplified after I left, at my request) having produced over 80 editions with more than 11,000 pages of print and heaven knows how many reviews
More by Kev Rowland
Gig Review: Crushfest @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland – 07/07/2023
Single Review: Love and War
Single Review: All This Time
Single Review: Sons of Savages
Gig Review: Stray Dogs @ AUX, Auckland – 26/05/2023
Gig Review: Turkey The Bird @ The Ministry of Folk, Auckland – 27/05/2023
Single Review: Beautiful Creature
Gig Review: Emily Rice @ Your Local Coffee Roasters, Pukekohe – 24/05/2023
EP Review: Bridge City Crew
Single Review: Your Heart of Gold
Single Review: The Strangest Dream
Single Review: No Funeral Blues
