The Doom/Death Metal band BLOODSOAKED NECROVOID pick up where INQUISITION left off. Not on child pornography, but on very long and ominous song titles. With titles such as these, it would not surprise me if one of the band members was listed as "vocals, thesaurus consulter". Jokes aside, this band delivers some pretty decent chops here and there, and all of them can be found on their latest compilation, "The Apocryphal Paths of the 8th Vitriolic Transcendence".

This compilation is eight tracks, the first four of which are from the band's "Demo 1" and the second four from "Demo 2".

The first thing one might notice about this band is that they do not care about production quality. Well, they might to an extent, but, for the most part, it is pretty sloppy. The most obvious production flaw is the sudden shift between "Demo 1" and "Demo 2". After track four ends, the last four songs are noticeably quieter. There are also a few scratches here and there, however, those actually give the overall product more of a raw feeling.

As for the musicianship on this compilation, the instrumentals are doom-y Death Metal with blackened undertones. There are multiple instances where the band creates very dark passages like on "Quintessence of the Colossal Cosmic Entity". Near the end of the track, there is a very layered section where the guitars are making very simple but impactful riffs while the bass provides a dark melody. This style is seen throughout, especially in the last four tracks.

Speaking of the last four tracks, these seem to be the better songs on the compilation. Each track in the second half had something that made it unique. This is definitely a good thing, as that means this band is only getting better with time.

For example, "Sempiternal Gravitation Pull of the Massive Cosmic Cauldron" has a very welcome interlude. It showcases a clean guitar riff that is no different in composition to the band's technique of eerie, simplistic leads backed by doom-y bass. The final product is dark and atmospheric. The recovery from the interlude is very smooth, and the rest of the song made a great way to end the compilation.

Another example is "Flesh Divinations for the Ego-Plundered Psyche". Halfway through the song is a segment that is very atmospheric. It is gloomy and heavy with its melody, but it oddly has an uplifting side to it. It was not something I was expecting, but it is very fitting.

When the riffs aren't menacingly simplistic in the best way possible, they are very basic and unoriginal. Fortunately, there are enough moments in the band's music where they incorporate atmosphere and depth that the music isn't completely boring.

One last thing I'd like to mention is the drummer. While he isn't extraordinary, I appreciate the groove he adds during some moments. Most notably, there is a section near the end of "Substance Conceiled in Open Conduit Discharging Flesh - Penetrating Agony" where they have their eerie riffs over doom-y bass. The drums during this moment are nice and groovy, providing a new layer to the music.

BLOODSOAKED NECROVOID seem to have been formed to play this genre. While the material is scarcely original, the final product is very well executed and heavy. Each member is doing an amazing job in creating a good Doom/Death Metal band. These guys have found their niche, and they are great for where they are.