Call Of The Void‘s debut Dragged Down A Dead End Path is a ‘relentless torrent of downtuned doom grind‘ says MacDara Conroy
Signed to Relapse as Ironhorse after just a few months together, these four guys from Colorado faced a bit of a stumbling block when they were forced into a name change by trademark issues at the end of last year. But what could have been a harmful spanner in the works for a lesser band has really worked out in favour of the unit now known as Call Of The Void. Shorn of their former generic brand, they’ve now got a far more fitting moniker to match their uniquely violent take on grind-slash-hardcore.
Dragged Down A Dead End Path is their first recorded offering, which is surprising to learn upon hearing – and feeling – the confidence they exude in these 10 barely controlled explosions, whipping by in a tight 25 minutes. If you can imagine Converge in their most grind-minded moments, and pushed even further into the red, you’re only halfway to getting the picture. That admittedly lazy comparison simply doesn’t convey the claustrophobic aggression that’s so palpable throughout. Rarely has an album title seemed so right.
Opener ‘Failure‘ doesn’t waste any time making a statement of intent, its sludgy intro little preparation for the head-spinning hybrid of grinding powerviolence, ripping D-beat and deepest, darkest doom that barely describes what follows. Ramshackle blastbeats tumble from ‘Theory of Mind‘ into ‘Bottom Feeder‘ before a euphoric breakdown that allows a brief pause for breath. ‘Endless Ritual Abuse‘ and ‘Abomination‘ pop when the crushing hardcore grooves – courtesy of guitarist Patrick Alberts and bassist Alex Pace – turn on a dime into pummelling blasts from drummer Gordon Koch.
Steve Vanica’s acidic vocals burn through every track, not least the perfectly titled ‘Napalm Lungs‘. There are shades of frantic death grinders Uphill Battle on ‘The Liar’s Heart‘ and especially the restless see-saw motion of ‘I Hope You Two Fuck‘, and ‘Breeding Grounds‘ is a throwback to the under-sung metalcore supergroup Burnt By The Sun. Comparisons will naturally be made to Converge, too, in their blending of rage and melody – both elements in stark relief within the vicious, seething closer ‘Faith & Filth‘. Call Of The Void have written proper tunes here, each of which can stand on its own, though they work so much better together in this relentless torrent of downtuned doom grind.
