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Temple Of Void - The World That Was review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
8.0

76 users:
7.49
Band: Temple Of Void
Album: The World That Was
Release date: March 2020


01. A Beast Among Us
02. Self-Schism
03. A Single Obolous
04. Leave The Light Behind
05. Casket Of Shame
06. The World That Was

If you have good taste in music, it is difficult to make bad music yourself. And in the promo pictures for their latest album, The World That Was, Temple Of Void members are sporting t-shirts with logos of Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Killing Joke, Amorphis, and Fell Ruin. Not bad, lads. Not bad at all.

Despite coming from the USA, the band's sound has been crafted using elements of European acts, such as Bolt Thrower and Asphyx on one hand, and Paradise Lost and Katatonia on the other. Temple Of Void's music focuses on crestfallen and tomb-shattering riffs that break the silence of swampy caverns in a way very similar to their Finnish counterparts, Hooded Menace. The Detroit-based death doomsters have now employed extra layers of synths as a means to add more depth to these riffs and they actually manage to tie everything together more cohesively than ever before.

To briefly analyse particular songs, "Casket Of Shame" boasts some excellent groove death metal riffs without losing the overall doom identity of the album as you can hear in the final minutes of the song, and "Leave The Light Behind" stands out with its gothic aura, its clean vocals and the spacey synths. "Self-Schism" is the epitome of the band's style, with its slow, crawling pace and its throbbing bass setting the tone, but it is in the closing title track where you can experience Temple Of Void at their most majestic ever. "The World That Was" is a nearly 10-minute death doom masterpiece that can roughly be dissected into three parts that blend together seamlessly; a sombre and melancholic opening grows into stomping death metal, which in turn liquefies into melodic, almost shoegaze-like reverie.

Temple Of Void had a busy year so far; they have already released a single for the Decibel magazine flexi series, they have contributed three tracks to the 4 Doors To Death II split release, and they have also unleashed what sounds to me as their most ambitious album yet. The World That Was is very cinematic with gloomy atmosphere and rich production, without falling behind in heaviness. And the album art by Adam Burke is breathtaking.

"Devour the hours until only darkness is left."





Written on 07.05.2020 by Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud!


Comments

Comments: 9   Visited by: 77 users
07.05.2020 - 10:59
Rating: 7
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Quote:

If you have good taste in music, it is difficult to make bad music yourself

As someone with good taste in music and who has attempted to make music, I'm inclined to disagree.
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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07.05.2020 - 11:00
nikarg

Written by RaduP on 07.05.2020 at 10:59

As someone with good taste in music and who has attempted to make music, I'm inclined to disagree.


I'm sure you didn't try hard enough.
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07.05.2020 - 11:04
Rating: 7
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by nikarg on 07.05.2020 at 11:00


I'm sure you didn't try hard enough.

There's also that, and the fact that I have no place to practice "extreme" vocals in silence, and my complete lack of talent for it. Listen at your own discretion.

Back on topic, this album just further solidifies how strong these past few years were for doom/death
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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07.05.2020 - 12:40
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Old bands as saxon motorhead maybe listen 10 bands from nwobhm era but bands what come later 2010 listen much wider sortiment of bands not one genre but maybe 7 and it makes them put good muisc out. Good work, good album. good band
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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07.05.2020 - 15:47
Rating: 8
Metren
Dreadrealm
Yeah that cover art is fucking insane. I find this album catchy AF and heavier than a black hole. Really great album that doesn't overstay its welcome and invites immediate repeat listening. Totally agree with the review, thanks for bringing this album and band to my attention!
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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07.05.2020 - 19:34
Rating: 6
Rulatore

Not even close to Lords of Death, or their debut for that matter. Massive downgrade in the songwriting department, songs dragging far too much here, not much atmosphere to back these lengths. The only good thing is the vocals.

Only worth song is "Leave The Light Behind".

Sad about the turnout here, but they new, hopefully more stuff will come from these guys
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09.05.2020 - 01:59
Batlord666

Side question - I love industrial and techno/"cyber" stuff. What's a Killing Joke album you'd recommend?
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09.05.2020 - 02:10
nikarg

Written by Batlord666 on 09.05.2020 at 01:59

Side question - I love industrial and techno/"cyber" stuff. What's a Killing Joke album you'd recommend?

I'd start with Night Time and Pandemonium. Their debut is a classic too, and I think they have released a couple of good ones during the '00s but I haven't really followed the band after the '90s.

edit: Maybe ask this question over here and see who else can recommend stuff to you
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09.05.2020 - 03:44
Batlord666

Thanks!
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