Troy the Band – (des)
Release Date: 3rd July 2026
Label: JPEG2000
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Shoegaze, Noise Rock.
FFO: Elephant Tree, Believe in Nothing, Black Groove, Codex Serafini, Black Orchids, Dead Witches, Tayne, Black Shape.
Review By: Paul Franklin
Pulling together doom, shoegaze and noise rock, this sophomore effort from Troy The Band aims for something cinematic and emotionally weighty rather than a straightforward collection of heavy songs. A feat made all the more challenging when they parted ways with their singer during the process. With songs written but no replacement lined up, what to do?
Their answer was to invite guest vocalists from the UK doom underground to sing on the album’s nine tracks, including Soozi Chameleone, once of Dead Witches, over the doom riffs of Denial, Believe in Nothing’s Caine Hemingway on The Moment and Ana-Maria Terr Bordei of Codex Serafini (who since has been confirmed as permanent successor in the role) on Adoration Of Ill Luck.
Such a multi-guest approach is unusual and innovative, but there are clear pros and cons. Whilst you get variety song to song, you never fully get a cohesive listen and never fully connect with certain tracks; for example, someone who embraces the peaceful drifting approach taken by Peter Holland of Elephant Tree and Kay Elizabeth of Black Orchids on the nine-minute epic (and best song on the album) Memory Glowing might not appreciate the more guttural screamed vocals from Jake Packham of Doom/Hardcore outfit Black Groove, making the collaborative concept feel like a collection of individual performances instead of a unified artistic statement.
When the album locks into its strengths, it can be genuinely compelling. Porous opens proceedings with a thick wall of fuzz offset by haunting vocal melodies, while Journey’s End benefits from the interplay between its multiple vocalists, creating one of the record’s more memorable tracks. The aforementioned The Moment also delivers a satisfying blend of soaring atmosphere and crushing riffs, reminding listeners that the band are capable of balancing melody and heft without sacrificing either.
Unfortunately, (des) often feels more interested in textures than memorable songwriting. At forty-one minutes, it isn’t an especially long album, yet several tracks drift by without leaving much of a lasting impression.
The band’s ability to blend doom, shoegaze and noise rock into a cohesive sonic palette is admirable. The production captures both the crushing low end and the shimmering ambience effectively, giving the album a richness that rewards repeated listening.
Yet technical execution can only carry a record so far. Too often the songs threaten to build up to promising post-metal crescendos without arriving at a worthy emotional payoff. There are flashes of brilliance throughout, but they’re separated by passages that feel interchangeable, causing the album’s momentum to stall.
(des) isn’t a failure by any stretch. It’s professionally crafted, sonically immersive and undeniably ambitious. But ambition alone isn’t enough, and despite several standout moments, Troy The Band ultimately deliver an album that’s easier to admire than to truly love.
(3 / 5)
