It's extremely common to carry the influences of all those bands that are loved, especially the ones who laid foundations of a specific musical genre (yes, it's not only in Metal bands that such thing happens). But one must understand that music is a personal expression, so no one can be other musician. A fine example: the forefathers of BLACK SABBATH carried influences of THE BEATLES, CREAM and others, but as anyone can read on the biographies of the band and its members, they had to struggle to create something of their own, because it was their music, not of their loved influences. And although not bringing anything different of what already exists, the work of the Finnish quartet WAYWARD DAWN shown on "All-Consuming Void" is really good.

The third album of the quartet is what the fans of the band can expect: a crude and classic form of Death Metal that bears strong resemblances with acts of the 90's as MORBID ANGEL, OBITUARY, ENTOMBED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BENEDICTION and others in their prime, when the genre was rising from the dead after some years being hidden into the underground scene (the years when Thrash Metal was in evidence, from 1986 to 1990). It's rough, brutal and still bears those essential influences inherited from Hardcore, but stripped off of Thrash Metal touches. Once more: the fans will not find something different from what already exists, but it's honest and personal. The production worked in a form to make "All-Consuming Void" sound classic in terms of Death Metal: crude and aggressive, with simple instrumental tunes. But even this way, the perception that something different was done is due the need of the songs to be expressed in a way that can be understood by the fans. And it means that the works of Jacob Bredahl (producer, recording) and Brad Boatright (mastering) were done in the direction wanted by the quartet.

The level shown by the band on the songs of the album is homogeneous, but for a first time on it, pay attention to what is expressed by "Cage of Resentment" (a brutal and oppressive song with disgusting and bitter guitar riffs in a classic Death Metal form, with good rhythmic shifts), "Isolation" (there are many extreme hooks in this one, and what good grunts), "Bottomless Pit" (the work of bass guitar and drums is really heavy and oppressive on this one, guiding the rhythms wisely), and the long and bitter "Pull of the Boulder" (12 minutes of a massacre, filled with some great guitar arrangements). After these ones, the ears will be whistling for hours and hours.

"All-Consuming Void" shows a good work, but the best of WAYWARD DAWN is still hidden in the band members' hearts, so the future is promising!