Last year, former Sepultura guitarist Jairo “Tormentor” Guedz (who played on the band's 1985 Bestial Devastation EP and their 1986 debut LP Morbid Visions, and contributed songwriting to 1987's Schizophrenia) launched his new band The Troops of Doom — alongside bassist/vocalist Alex Kafer (Enterro, Explicit Hate, ex-Necromancer), drummer Alexandre Oliveira (Southern Blacklist, Raising Conviction), and guitarist Marcelo Vasco (Patria, Mysteriis) — with the debut EP The Rise of Heresey, which featured new versions of two Guedz-era Sepultuar songs and four original songs that hearken back to that early thrash/proto-death metal style. Now they're set to release a second EP, The Absence of Light, on September 17 via Nuclear Blast subsidiary Blood Blast (pre-order).

The Absence of Light is a concept EP inspired by 17th century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes' book Leviathan, split into an introduction and two acts, and closing song "Act II – The Monarch" features guest vocals by Jeff Becerra of death metal progenitors Possessed. That song premieres in this post, and like the songs on the last EP, it taps directly into that proto-death style that Guedz and Becerra were both architects of in a way that still sounds thrilling today. Guedz says:

"The Monarch" is the title of the second Act of a conceptual work that ended up becoming The Absence Of Light EP. In this song we are proud and pleased to have Jeff Becerra from Possessed sharing the vocals with Alex. Jeff was amazing, very friendly, and professional, accepting our invitation without thinking twice! This filled me with pride and I started to admire even more the work of this living legend, one of the inventors of death metal we play with The Troops of Doom and obviously a huge influence for me since I was a boy, when I started to play guitar for Sepultura back in the early '80s!

In "The Monarch," the absence of freedom added to the power of the church over the people and transforms religiosity into political power, guiding the blind and the faithful according to its strict rules, limiting their actions through fear and its fictitious demons. The absolute power of the Holy Church ruling the world through lies written in holy books and bloodshed, welcome to the complete absence of light!

In addition to Jeff Becerra's guest vocal appearance, the EP also features Lars Nedland (Borknagar, Solefald, White Void) contributing bass to the three main tracks and Dave Deville conducting the orchestral introduction. It was mixed and mastered by Borknagar's Øystein G. Brun. It also comes with three bonus tracks, including two demos and another Sepultura song, "Antichrist."

The band also says that a full-length album is due in 2022, so stay tuned for more on that.

Listen to the new song and view the tracklist below…

The Absence Of Light EP Track Listing:
1. Introduction – The Absence Of Light
2. Act I – The Devil’s Tail
3. Act II – The Monarch feat. Jeff Becerra (Possessed)

Bonus Tracks:
4. Antichrist (Sepultura)
5. The Devil’s Tail (Demo Version)
6. The Monarch (Demo Version)