Downfall – Behind The Curtain
Release Date: 1st July 2022
Label: DAZE/Triple B Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Hardcore, Metal.
FFO: Combust, Mutually Assured Destruction, Killing Pace.
Review By: Ryan Payne
In my experience with the hardcore genre, I’ve learned that unless you have something that really makes you stand out, most bands tend to sound like an imitation of the last. When it comes to Richmond’s hardcore act Downfall, they certainly have a more modern edge over some of the other bands I’ve come across. The tracks on the latest album “Behind the Curtain” are a lot more structured than most and the quality of the product is a lot cleaner while still maintaining the hardcore sound we are all familiar with.
Opening track “Descent” holds some promise as the track builds anticipation before attacking the listener with a heavy riff to get you engaged. It’s unfortunately let down by going into a typical run-of-the-mill hardcore/thrash track, “Broken Mind”, blistering through for about a minute before coming to an abrupt end. “Hateflow” shows improvement with a more down-tempo approach, feeling like a hardcore track with attitude, while ending with a beatdown riff that could definitely see some crazy levels of violence at shows. The next track is “Scorn” and is a nice blend of the previous 2 tracks, bringing in some speed and aggression for the first half and ending on a slower and heavier second half that definitely was a pleasure to hear.
Track 5, “Primitive Reality”, is definitely one of the more impressive tracks on the album, bringing a nice mixture of technicality and heaviness from the guitarists while keeping true to the hardcore sound. The mid-section where the tempo changes sounds like it came out of the minds of bands like Soulfly or Fear Factory before going straight back into our usual dose of hardcore. “Bloodline” is also another great track, opening up with a bass riff that immediately catches the listener with something different, switching up tempos throughout while keeping the same level of aggression throughout the song. The rest of the album definitely has loads of desirable attributes, but nothing that directly takes the listener by surprise. That being said, it is a very enjoyable album to listen through If you’re after 10 tracks filled with aggression and a reason to swing your fists about.
I think my main issue with the album is probably the vocals. The vocalist is definitely good at what he does, but it just lacks the aggression intended for the tracks, mix that with the single tone used throughout, it began to get very boring to listen to. Musically, it was perfect. The guitars, bass and drums all felt comfortable and packed the punch intended to make a hardcore album work in modern times. “Behind The Curtain” is released on the 1st July and I can see this being a favourite for hardcore and metal fans alike. 
(3 / 5)
