VOID

"Void" is the 2nd full-length studio album by UK experimental black metal act Void. The album was released in January 2011 by Duplicate Records. The band´s debut album "Posthuman" was released as far back as 2003, so it´s been a long wait for the follow up. The debut album was more or less a solo effort by Matt Jarman ( guitars, programming) where he enlisted Kvohst (Dødheimsgard, Code) to record the vocals. Kvohst is replaced here by Ben Lowe, but Matt Jarman has also enlisted drummer/ guitarist Joe Burwood and bassist/ pianist Rob Archibald. The more "regular" band formation has a great impact on the sound on this album compared to the sound and musical style on the debut.

The music on the debut album is experimental industrial extreme metal. Lots of dissonant open chords, twisted riffs, aggressive vocals, progressive structures and electronic drums. It´s a very innovative and unique album. On this second album the style has changed towards a more organic sounding experimental black metal. Mainly because the drums are now "real" drums and not programmed. The production is also less futuristic than was the case on the debut. The sound on this album is raw and powerful. I especially enjoy the organic drum sound. These drums actually sound like "real" drums. While the tracks feature some really aggressive blasting sections there are still lots of unconventional dissonant riffing in the tracks and they are not structured in a "regular" vers/ chorus form. The vocals vary between caustic sounding black metal/ death metal vocals and occassional clean vocals too.

The 9 track, 35:36 minute long album contains a few surprises. While most tracks are new compositions there are a couple of re-recorded older tracks featured on the album too. It may seem a bit strange that it took Matt Jarman 8 years to write 4 new tracks, an atmospheric piano interlude and an intro, but the 3 older tracks are greatly enjoyable IMO. "Cypher", which was also featured on "Posthuman", is delivered here in a very different version compared to the version on the debut album. "Alligator X-Ray" and "Ego Tranquilizer" which are both featured on the 2001 demo by Void, are also very enjoyable pieces of experimental extreme metal. I don´t know the originals but the high quality level of these versions more than warrants an inclusion on this album. The new tracks are more or less in the same style and the album is generally very consistent both in quality and in style.

After my initial surprise that "Void" sounded vastly different from "Posthuman", I´ve actually come to the conclusion that despite the differences between the two albums, both are unmistakably the sound of Void. It´s fans of Dødheimsgard, Code and to some degree Ved Buens Ende and Virus that should be able to enjoy this album greatly. I´ve had myself a very positive surprise here that´s for sure and a 4 star rating is fully deserved. "Void" may not be of the completely unique nature of "Posthuman", but it´s a great album in its own respect.