Released 20 September
UNFD
Aussie metalcore lords Void of Vision are unleashing their fourth LP, What I’ll Leave Behind this week and it seems like we’re in for the band’s peak era. Building up their fanbase since 2014, the band have become content with their place in the vibrant metal community. However, like many acts, the band are continuously striving to push their talents further.
That’s exactly what this record is.
What I’ll Leave Behind opens up into a world of chaotic, gut-wrenching snarls and slick production. Opening track ‘Oblivion‘ delivers glistening tones of pulsating pop melodies, interlaced with jarring metalcore. Vocalist Jack Bergin reflects on personal health scares, performing with unstoppable force and strength. In similar motion, ‘Blood For Blood‘ envelopes our senses with electronic synthey beats, resulting in a vibrant hybrid of metalcore and drum’n’bass undertones.
While Void of Vision have always presented themselves deeprooted in metal, their musical visionary truly comes to life on this album. There are a wide array of intriguing and unique soundscapes that offer a fresh cut of what it means to be an evolving act in this genre. ‘Supernova‘ metaphorically acts as that catalyst, firing off on all cylinders powerful, yet glistening instrumentation with soaring vocal melodies by Bergin (“I’m falling, I’m falling now…”). ‘Neurotic‘ offers listeners a beautiful contrast with slick, groovy riffs and presents us with a distorted wall of sound that’ll appeal to a keen ear for nu metal and grunge.
One of the later singles in the lead-up to this release, ‘Gamma Knife‘ digs deep into 2000s metalcore history and gives off a palatable taste of seering riffage. Combined with a quintessential grimey soundscape, I found this one to be the dexterous filler track of the record.
While ‘Beautiful Things‘ gives you a moment to slow down and soak in some of that wholesome retrospective, ‘Empty‘ is the song that is going to become an instant favourite for the Void of Vision fandom everywhere. Marking a subtle change in key, it feels inspired by their previous USA tour experiences. Offering definitive vocals and a surge of heart-racing riff energy, this is a progressive style arising and it straight up feels like the band’s most authentic song yet.
Carrying through onto ‘Midnight Sweat‘ and ‘Decades‘, this innovative metal act deliver the goods with some of the most dynamic soundscapes and What I’ll Leave Behind is summed up best as Void of Vision’s most explosive work of art yet. Leading track ‘Angel of Darkness‘ summarises this album best by flaunting their aptitude with tenacity.
Sometimes we have to experience something life-changing in order to live out our life in the best way possible. Following traumatic health scares, Bergin has rediscovered himself and tentatively forced out some of the band’s definitive songs yet. With this in mind, What I’ll Leave Behind feels almost like a legacy work. However, this is Void of Vision and we feel like there’s more in the tank to come. Therefore, this is a record that is an evolved step in the right direction for contemporary metalcore as we know it.
“I feel a lot better now about dealing with the future, about balancing my health and art. I’m grateful to be alive.”
– Jack Bergin, Void of Vision
Rating: 9/10
Review By Tamara May
Pre-order/pre-save What I’ll Leave Behind here
Void of Vision – What I’ll Leave Behind tracklisting:
1. Oblivion
2. Blood For Blood
3. Supernova
4. Neurotic
5. Gamma Knife
6. Beautiful Things
7. Empty
8. Midnight Sweat
9. Decades
10. Angel of Darkness
