This extremely dark work comes from France and is the first release by this band. I don’t know all of the bands with whom Void Paradigm has links, but I do know Wormfood who some years back released an extremely quirky work called “France”. Although black metal in essence, an avant-garde and experimental element is in evidence on this work.
There are six lengthy tracks on this album, and they are all different. The first one, the fiery “Chao ab Chao” is the nearest to traditional black metal. I sense an attempt at underproduction here. The drum line is basic and the guitar work has a distinct ring to it. It’s not straight out of someone’s kitchen, but it is raw, and thanks to its pace it’s exciting. The vocals are of the hoarse growling kind and are the most constant part of this work. As we head into “Fighting the Silence”, the atmosphere becomes more intense and creepier. Void Paradigm are not frightened to take off in another direction and they do with an Opeth-style riff and rough-sounding guitar finery but all within the framework of harsh and almost violent black metal.
The work seems to progressively get slower as more despair infiltrates the already bleak setting. Spidery guitar work runs through “Symmetrichaos”, then as if a veil has been brought down, the sound becomes distorted and slower. The repetitious guitar creates a deadening atmosphere while the vocalist croaks nastiness and foreboding. Strange sounds can be heard in the background. The track ends but I’m not sure we’ve got anywhere. Void Paradigm proclaim their music as “hypnotic” but whilst recognising that horrible atmospheres are sought and achieved, I would say it is more neutralising. The insistent repetition is prevalent on the title track which follows. The style is now post-metal but of a forward moving sort which through the repetitiveness reflects the dull and grey background. The vocalist tells a harsh tale. The guitar work picks up and there is a faint glimmer of colour, as the post-metal mood intensifies. It is only the drum which adds interest to a mostly uniform pattern.
Any excitement that went with “Chao ab Chao” has given way to a mechanical repetitiveness, barring a very short electronic piece at the end. The funereal start of “Building Cathedrals” suggests the introduction to something big or failing that, an attempt to break our resolve. The mood changes and a heavy and chunky riff takes over. The pace quickens and the guitar and drum work borders on the flamboyant and energetic. It’s all very confusing as the almost bright guitar work contrasts with the deep rhythm and those harsh vocals which seem to be full of despair and complaint. And then it ends suddenly. To follow the occasional bell chime mixes with synthesised sounds to resemble something between the environment of a church and experimentation. “Timeless Nothingness” is what it’s called. I thought when I first heard it that it was an interlude but in fact it goes on for 10 minutes without going anywhere at all. It’s disturbing, atmospheric and depressing but I ultimately concluded also that it’s a pointless waste of 10 minutes.
I’m not sure what Void Paradigm were trying to achieve here. This strange album is dark and has a bleak atmosphere, but I just didn’t have any sense of direction. Repetition mixes with motion but not in a way that I could make any sense of. In the context of the creation of sound and ambiance, I guess this it has some merit but beyond that Void Paradigm lost me somewhere along the line.
(5.5 / 10 Andrew Doherty)
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