I was trying to think back and remember if I, or any of the other writers have ever given Code666 and Aural music releases a bad review. I can’t think of any and it’s probably due to the fact that the label’s artists do not do things by halves. We never get throwaway albums from them and the bands on the label always offer something a bit more than a standard release; either a tale to immerse the listener in or music which is completely mesmerising and above and beyond the norm. Void Of Silence are no exception to this rule. In the past the Italians have released three full lengths and even though I may not have heard them, the vocal contributions from Malfeitor Fabban (Aborym) and Alan Nemtheanga (Primordial) grabbed my attention and made me want to. Now the Italians are back after a six year gap between albums with Brooke Johnson of Axis Of Perdition on vocals. I hasten to add that they sound nothing like any of the aforementioned singer’s day jobs in the slightest.
I have seen VoS described as Funeral Doom and find them slightly more dynamic than that but doom is certainly in the remit and theirs is heartfelt and completely enthralling. Songs such as the second and title track weigh in at 17 minutes and take in maudlin melodies and carry them through chanting, religious sounding raptures that are beautiful to listen to. The normal vocal patterns are also tinged with sorrow, sometimes loud in an indignant fashion but listening to them and the music swirling around, the subject matter is at heart and you can literally feel the breath and gasps of civilisations crumbling in their wake. Parts remind me of other things and as that long song draws towards conclusion a keyboard passage has me thinking of Vangelis excellent Blade Runner soundtrack before the misery drenched vocals sweep back in. You can actually find yourself floating off and missing the vocals until they suddenly reappear as they do 2/3 of the way into the sprawling 12 minute epic ‘Apt Epitaph.’ Others would probably not be able to pull something like this off with such finesse but this lot do have you, to coin a cliché, very much in the void. A persuasive piano canter pervades ‘Temple Of Stagnation’ and its difficult not to fixate on it until some vocals come in amidst off key harmonics making the track somewhat purposely (at least the way I interpret it) uncomfortable.
This is no everyday album and it is not one to get to grips with quickly or easily. I’m not even sure what sort of time is even best suited to listening to this but guess if you are tired it’s an album that could easily destroy you. Mind you coming to with the sound of panpipes in your ears on closer ‘Empty Echo’ would probably make a good wake up call. It is slightly odd the way this closing outro finishes so abruptly as the band have really drawn past opuses out and this strangely leaves you hungering more.
http://www.myspace.com/voidofsilence
