VOID WITHIN

Thanks Brick for recommending this epic. "Void Within" was released in September 2022 as an ep by a Utah-based metal act HOURGLASS. They say they have not launched any official release for 13 years since "Obvious To The Obvious" but finally come back to the scene with this wonderful creation. Forgive me but this is my first HOURGLASS but I am quite amazed at this 24 minute-long epic, that cannot make me feel so long nor lengthy. They obviously retain artistic melodic metal soundscape in the similar vein to progressive metal pioneers like Dream Theater, Threshold or Haken, and let me enjoy metal-art grandeur. Brick's gorgeous guitar explosions, Eric's fascinating keyboard potential, massive supportive perfection by John & Brian's rhythm party, and elastic, lyrical Yahosh's voices ... the combination drives me crazy joyful.

Wonderfully dramatic sounds open the curtain. Their instrumental technique is beyond description. It sounds like they would like to launch their intention strongly through such a beautiful but powerful sound collective. The middle part sounds pretty sensitive and a bit depressive, as if they would bump against a tough wall, but vaporization of 'hope' cannot be heard via their brilliant play. And in the latter part, deeply heavy but bright uptempo sound components encourage me. Really epoch-making.