Lithic

Voidhaven

From their record label's website, "The first goods in form of the "Voidhaven"-EP were shipped […]
Voidhaven - Lithic album cover

From their record label's website, "The first goods in form of the "Voidhaven"-EP were shipped in collaboration with Solitude Productions in 2018. Overcoming a line-up change on the drums, an unplanned break due to a pandemic and personal circumstances dispiriting the crew, they hired fleet admiral Jens Ballaschke to produce new wares in October 2022. Assorted in the "Lithic"-album, the resulting luxuries will be distributed in company with Ardua Music next June 9th 2023. So shoulder your bale and embark on a journey to find relief in the Voidhaven."

The album has six songs, and "Resting on Tombs" is the first. The opening tones are majestic, like a mountain towering into the clouds. From there, the slow grind is deep and expansive, with deadly gutturals and come harmonized cleans in the chorus. "Sermon of Scorn" begins with lovely piano notes that are somber, and a heavy riff whose accents shake the earth. The dichotomy works well. From there, a combination of clean and harsh vocals carry the song, with neither method being any more powerful. The odd thing here is that even the cleans carry the weight of the song.

"To Walk Among Ghosts" is a ten-minute opus, giving some extra time for the song to develop. There is harmony in the opening tones, even with the power of each riff struck. The clean vocals are very sad, and the harsh vocals are angrier. If you walk among ghosts, you are probably dead; hence the overly melancholy sound. "The Everblazing Picture" is a bit less sad, and focused more on resolve, especially with the deadly harsh vocals. Things seem to get more agonizing however as the song moves forward, but it's about your present and your future, and not the mistakes you may have made in the past.

"The Desolate Throne" sounds like the title in a nutshell. Anyone who has ever had a throne to rule over others knows how disparaging that can be, and make no mistake, when you rule, you rule alone. The weight of this can take down most men. The clean vocals and the piano echo this sentiment. "Something Cruel Within" is the beastly closing song. The opening tones are devastatingly deep and harbor some infection that is slowly eating its host alive. This is a gut-wrenching closer. As the parasite eats away your insides, you fall from sick to barely alive, and find yourself not caring about anything anymore. Overall, this was an excellent album. The tones varied from a deep depression to anger and rage, and the songs could turn in either direction at any time. Both the gutturals and the cleans were well done also; each imparting their own feeling on the listener.

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

7

Memorability

8

Production

8
"Lithic" Track-listing:

1. Resting on Tombs
2. Sermon of Scorn
3. To Walk Among Ghosts
4. The Everblazing Picture
5. The Desolate Throne
6. Something Cruel Within

Voidhaven Lineup:

Jakob - Bass, Vocals
Phil - Guitars
Simon Schorneck - Guitars, Vocals
Marcos Lege - Keyboards
Norman - Drums

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