Temple Of Void: Summoning the Slayer

Michigan based quintet Temple Of Void has certainly been making a name for themselves in the Death-Doom Metal underground since their debut album, 2014’s Of Terror And The Supernatural. Blending virtually perfect amounts of Death Metal and Doom elements to create a heady and hypnotic concoction of heaviness and atmosphere. Returning after two years with their latest venture into the deep recesses of the earth with Summoning the Slayer.

Temple Of Void has always set themselves lofty ambitious themes and here that continues with the band using very poetic and emotionally charged lyrics to drive home the message. All done in a very classy and effective way I might add.

Musically, Temple Of Void seems to be leaning more into the doom end of the spectrum for large portions of this album, which may disenfranchise some of the more Death loving fans. However, for my money I think it only serves to highlight the heavier moments and provide a juxtaposition that lends it more of a dramatic impact. There is also a hypnotic and almost transcendent quality to the music here as well. If you are wanting an exciting listening experience then perhaps this won’t scratch the itch like some good old thrash. However, if you are looking for something more personal, dreamlike and contemplative then Summoning The Slayer does a great job at summoning those emotional reactions.

It’s hard to single out highlights because it is one of those albums that feels like a complete experience. However you can’t go wrong with the fantastic opener, “Behind The Eye�. The blissful fear and doom of “Deathtouch� is also very rewarding. “Hex, Curse and Conjuration� is more straightforward but after the music falls away in the breakdown and then that heavy sludgy doom kicks in, it’s doom perfection. “The Transcending Horror� again takes the listener into a slow doom drenched journey into darkness and it’s great stuff�. The one unusual moment is the beautiful acoustic song “Dissolution� which closes the album out. Temple Of Void have said it’s influenced by The Moody Blues and Nick Drake and I think that actually really shows. Replete with gorgeous acoustic guitar lines and tone as well as string and flute sounds, most likely provided by melotron, and clean yet processed vocals, it’s an unexpected, but in my case welcome, diversion. Again the Death-Doom purists may have a problem with that but for the more adventurous punters then it’ll come as a pleasant surprise.

Temple Of Void have noticeably toned down the intensity of the Death metal elements to bring in more traditional doom and atmosphere into the story with Summoning The Slayer. This will likely alienate some of the fans of their more brutal earlier material. However I think if audiences have an open mind and listen without expectation then they will be richly rewarded. Summoning The Slayer is a fantastic exhibition of moody atmosphere and classy and expert Death-Doom played by a band who sound like they are in full command.

Line-up/Musicians
Brent Satterly / Bass
Jason Pearce / Drums
Alex Awn / Guitars, Synthesizers
Mike Erdody / Vocals, Guitars (track 3)
Don Durr / Guitars

Tracklist
1. Behind the Eye (05:14)
2. Deathtouch (08:07)
3. Engulfed (07:24)
4. A Sequence of Rot (05:48)
5. Hex, Curse, & Conjuration (03:51)
6. The Transcending Horror (05:59)
7. Dissolution (03:48)

Added: October 25th 2022
Reviewer: Benjamin Dudai
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 584
Language: english

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