Customer Reviews

Void

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of the most refreshing Metal Albums of 2006

INTRONAUT - Void
-
It's nice to see a band willing to experiment in the lush soundscapes of such post-metal footprints as acts like Neurosis or Isis. But Intronaut doesn't stop there, that would be too simple... They fuse together elements of Doom Metal, Hardcore and Mastodon-esc Rock in a manner which is as devastating as it is refreshing.

The album opener `A Monolithic Vulgarity' builds a fantastic atmosphere with the guitar and electronics before unleashing into tribal drumming that would not seem out of place on Neurosis's `Through Silver and Blood'. This song stays firm with some aggressive hardcore until the final minute and half where the dream-like instrumentation regains control. At just under 6 minutes this song is perfect beginning and should intrigue one to keep this CD running. The second song `Gleamer' gets right to the point... blasting right off into aural insanity before opening up to some fantastic Doom. The drum work is especially well executed during the slower parts of this song and special `Fault Lines' breaks in subtly and creates a vast atmosphere before collapsing into pure heaviness. Coming off reminiscent of the sonic assault of `Buried Inside'... Whereas track four, `Nostalgic Echo' various between a breathtaking homage to bands like `Red Sparowes' or `GYBE!' and brutal `Meshuggah'-like patterns. The bass playing deserves special attention on this song echoing the greats like Tony Chou (Atheist /x-Cynic) or Sean Malone (Cynic / Aghora / Gordian Knot). Bass is often pushed so far to the back burner but this album is really brought to life by the dominant bass sound of Joe Lester. The following two tracks, `Teledidonics' and `Iceblocks' are both well composed and build progressively from beginning to end, similar to overtly violent incarnation of `Pelican' or `Mastodon's' song `Hearts Alive'. The album's closer, `Rise to Midden' is a true testament to saving the best for last... Every second of the 6:30 is pure magic, with a skillful amalgamation of Hardcore, Post Rock Atmosphere and Technical Death Metal.

What makes Intronaut so special is their ability to not only think, but also write music outside of the proverbial box. Taking the best influences of countless genres and bands they've been able to create something which is both breathtaking and crushing. Most importantly it is different sounding than the vast majority of metal or hardcore to grace my ears in quite some time...
As stated above the rhythm section is the cement that holds this foundation together. I should also mention the other two members, Leon del Muerte and Sacha Dunable who share both vocal and guitar duties. The guitar varies between aural transcendence and crushing rhythms. The vocal work is standard for the genre but suited perfectly and not overdone by any means.

This is likely the best debut to come out in 2006 and will be in my Top 10 of the year... If you enjoyed any of the previously mentioned bands or The Ocean's `Aeolian' you should check this album out.

Favorites Songs: Rise to Midden, Fault Lines, and Teledidonics.
-5 Stars

IF YOU LIKED, AGREED OR APPRECIATED THIS. PLEASE CLICK YES FOR:
"Was this review helpful?"

Since their largely overlooked debut EP was released earlier this year, Intronaut have drawn numerous comparisons to Mastodon. But with their second (and first full length) release, "Void," this L.A.-based quintet further proves that their overall sound--hefty, angular riffs, complex drum pattens, trance-like repetition, pin-point technicality, oddball time signatures, breakneck tempo changes, usually lurching rhythms, harsh, atonal vocals, fusion of jazz elements, etc.--actually falls more in line with that of Meshuggah's. And fortunately, Intronaut don't stop there. "Void" is very refreshingly unique and actually quite different from both of the above bands' albums, because it is a perfect balance of harmony and dissonance (punishing heavy stuff and gentle, carefully placed melody). All but one track on here has some pleasing-to-the-ear parts. Often, a song will begin with or go through a section consisting of docile strings and moments of near silence; but then, in not too long, guitarists Leon del Muerte (ex-Exhumed and Impaled) and Sacha Dunable suddenly launch headlong into series of riffs that drop from the sky and bludgeon the listener like a cement block. Sometimes a song will have a soft part that seems a bit tacked on, but the almost undying use of melody is needed because it intertwines the songs and makes them flow so seamlessly.

"Monolithic Vulgarity" begins with a minute and twenty seconds of eerie, foreboding guitar feedback and soft percussion that follows the same rhythm as a drum roll. This intro is then mowed over by a grumbling, bottom-heavy guitar lead, booming beats, beeping bass, and schizophrenic, almost puking vocals. The track then ends with clean, almost aquatic-sounding acoustic guitars and tribal drums.

Following that is "Gleamer," the album's only track that's devoid of any melodic pleasantries. This is a truly staggering song in that it has great musicianship throughout, and boy, is it heavy! The crushing guitars and lurching tempo combine to create a brutal, scorching interplay with the drummer's forceful, slamming double bass.

"Fault Lines" is awesome, too. The light strumming and wind noises at the beginning disappear when massive abrasive guitar riffs and propulsive bass line (which is still very audible, despite being buried beneath the sound's mix) kick in. Intronaut reign it in a while later, of course, and the energy level dives dramatically, but the song does build and regain momentum (with the help of a bouncy, ascending drum pattern) and ends with a climax.

"Nostalgic Echo" is one of many examples of a perfect, effortless flow from a menacing, low key sound to a rip-roaring one. Its instrumental, strings `n' all verses smoothly segue into huge, chunky guitar-driven choruses. Next, "Teledildonics" offsets frothing intensity (blistering riffs and driving, thumping drums) with a beautiful ambience that evokes the Deftones circa their 2000 album, "White Pony." Similarly, the gloomy "Iceblocks" has both quiet (almost silent), dwindling, prog-ish restraint and a bullying onslaught of brutality.

The set closer, "Rise To The Midden" is one of the instances where including melody seems a bit gratuitous. But this track, especially the bulldozing, Converge-meets-The Acacia Strain opening, is still very enjoyable.

"Void" more than deserves comparisons to the product put out by any great prog/technical-metal band, including Tool, Meshuggah, Meshuggah, Mastodon, Neurosis, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Isis, and Pelican. But just because Intronaut include "progressive" touches and assemble their songs in such an epic, meticulous way does not at all mean that their music is hard to listen to. "Void" will take more than one listen to fully wrap your head around, but it still manages to be much easier to listen to, digest and absorb than one might think. This is one mighty tasty, highly infectious disc that warrants frequent return visits. Good stuff, indeed.

Contemporary metal lacks any type of innovation, musicianship, and creativity that thrived in the mid 80's, and then again in the early 90's with bands coming full force from around the world contributing to various genres and setting the standards for years to come. However, in the recent years, very few bands come out of the woodwork that rekindles the spirit of true music. Time after time we see mundane re-unions and rehashes of the same old thing, to try and pull us back to a different period of time. While, that is often fun be nostalgic to the "good old days", it's rare that a band such as Intronaut comes along puts out a debut LP that really makes you say to yourself: "Damn!".

This four-piece out of Los Angeles pushes out its second release not long after their debut MCD. Following in the same manor of the first, Void even pushes things further into amazing heavy rhythms that are equally progressive in nature. Everything from the insane drum patterns and "tinkly" symbols are technical and precise, and are accompanied by fantasic bass playing. It always pleases me to actually hear bass lines in metal, especially when they are jazzy in nature like Cynic, or Atheist. Upright bass even makes an appearance on this album. Guitar riffing is sometimes dissonant, chaotic and noisy, but often varies as it works with the rest of the band perfectly as one unit. There is no "main guy" in this band; each member produces their own unique qualities that effectively unite in creating equally amazing songwriting. Vocals are probably the least important factor here, and come off as a dual assault sometimes in a midrange screamy affair, but the music speaks for itself. Buy this album if you like your ears to be challenged. The more you listen to this album, the more you will appreciate it.

What do you get when you toss apples, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, starfruit, gooseberries, chocolate ants, and a Chipotle burrito bowl into a giant blender, shut the lid, and turn the power on high? I have no idea, but I doubt it'd be very appealing.

Now, what do you get when you juxtapose the menacing dynamics and atmospherics of bands like The Ocean and Neurosis, the sludgy tones of Mastodon, the angular riffing of Meshuggah, the elegant and organic bass presence of Cynic, the ambient textural collages of Kayo Dot, and overtly intelligent drum work? Well, I suppose you'd get Intronaut's Void.

The point is, hybrid bands don't always work. You can wind up listening to something reasonably profound, or you can be subjected to a bunch of really annoying styles of music superglued together to make for a sadistically irritating, head-scratching nightmare. Void is only moderately profound, and you might look at it as a nightmare if you've got some intense aversion to syncopated rhythm, but otherwise it's a mostly solid album from start to finish.

The opener, "A Monolithic Vulgarity", begins with something that I swear is a direct adaptation of the intro to Kayo Dot's "Marathon". Ambient, ringing guitar chords - check. Subtle drum rolls - check. Pulsating cymbal washes - check. Then, with only several dissonant notes for warning, some oddly placed cymbal crashes interspersed throughout brooding drum rolls break the song into a distorted, sludgy mess. Around half-way through, there's a break that's reminiscent of Mastodon's groovy interludes... and then, closer towards the end, the distortion fades to make way for - yes - an upright acoustic bass. It's strange, but it works. The entire segment is very atmospheric and free-flowing... it almost feels like a solo spot in a big band jazz ensemble. This fades out, and Kayo Dot fades back in to finish off the track.

"Gleamer" is more upbeat and consistently unrelenting. Doesn't stop to take a break, but does lapse into several sections of stoner rock-like guitar hits backed by headache-inducing calculus problems on the drum kit. Ends with washes of unstable feedback evolving on top of expansive drum acrobatics.

The remainder of the album follows suit in one way or another. Void doesn't have a specific formula, per se, but it does maintain a similar mood throughout. Atmospherics, sludgy distortion, contrasting bass tones that really seem out of place at times, dark ambience, and uh... the drumming. One thing about this album that's highly consistent is drummer Danny Walker (ex-Uphill Battle, ex-Exhumed). The guy seems hell-bent on never, ever placing any drum hit where a sane person would think it should be. He is worse than Meshuggah's Tomas Haake. At least with Haake, you could whip out a scientific calculator and extrapolate where a given cymbal crash or snare hit would land in a measure relative to the previous measure. Not here. This isn't nearly as mechanical. It's bad... and yet so good. Even after months of listening to this album and years of listening to all sorts of technical metal, I still get confused when I try to follow the drums here. The guy is damn good, that's for sure. What makes it even better is that there are rarely any obnoxious fills to clutter things up - songs are comprised entirely of strange patterns, displaced beats, busy and unpredictable cymbal work, and syncopation galore.

Anyway, it's good stuff. I hear they're rather awesome live, as well.

Void is a killer first full-length album from Los Angeles-based metallers Intronaut. The members of this band all have an impressive resume in that they also played in other bands, including the black metal act Thornlord, death metal band Exhumed, grindcore bands Phobia and Uphill Battle, and the sludgy metalcore ensemble Anubis Rising, among others.

Intronaut sounds nothing like these bands though. It is more of a combination of these groups, but their music firmly lies in the sludge-driven metal area, much like Neurosis, Isis, and Mastodon. However, Intronaut writes faster songs that don't rely merely on creative riffs that are repeated endlessly; they like to juice their material up with strong rhythm combinations. Schooled bassist Joe Lester has studied all forms of music from jazz to funk to Indian tribal music, and he does a great job of weaving these elements into the songs. Drummer Danny Walker is equally vital in the band. His sparse, rhythm-conscious timing recalls greats like Tool's Danny Carey, but he also rips it up with intense double bass drums and high-speed beats, as he comes from a grindcore background. The duo dominate pretty much every song on the album, as they seem to be written around their ideas first and foremost.

The vocals of Sacha Dunable and Leon del Muerte, both of whom also play the guitar, are screamed in a metalcore-ish way, but there is also a good deal of low, gutteral vocals that drive their music onto death metal paths. On the gloomy "Iceblocks", a song so perfectly titled, they play single strokes of acoustic guitars that sound cold and lonely. The notes echo forever until a jazz-meets-funk drive of bass and drums solo briefly takes the lead only to underscore the relatively deeper growls and a ferocious kick drum experiment. This comes as a huge surprise, considering most bands favour screamed vocals in such musical settings. Not to say Intronaut's vocals are devoid of vicious screaming; "A Monolithic Vulgarity" perfectly emphasizes the band's Mastodon influences, underlining their thick, carefully timed riffage and prominent bass that stands out much like those on Cynic and Atheist albums. Towards the end, drummer Danny Walker puts in a tribal drum solo atop clean-toned acoustic guitars, and the result is more than impressive.

The dissonant "Gleamer" is filled with a smashing rhythm slam, noticeably heavier guitar riffery, and a cool, sludgy breakdown a la Isis' pre-Panopticon material. There are also significantly more complex chord progressions here, which seem to surround the band's atonal arrangements. The band opts for more technical elements on "Fault Lines", a song heavy on atmosphere and clean acoustic guitars. Despite the unusually complex multi-section guitar work, there are plenty of tense silences on this track coupled with weird drum syncopation and gurgling, independent sounding bass guitar. "Nostalgic Echo" is a song that continuously alternates between dense and crushing guitar crescendos and dreamy, pristine passages. The scream vocals on this song are amazing, as is its punishing finale.

"Teledidonics" is an epic-sized cut, once again evocative of Tool's drummer in that Danny Walker takes a very similar approach to rhythm build-ups, but they quickly move into jazzy sections that are punctuated by weird guitar effects and glistening cymbals. The ending to this song is particularly interesting, as they simply raise the distortion so high nothing else can be heard. "Rise to Midden" is another heavy tune with highly distorted guitar sounds where layers of feedback churn violently and are injected into atypical guitar and bass rhythms.

The European version of this disc features a great bonus track called "Fragments of Character" and if you like Intronaut, this is a song you won't want to miss. It is very different from the other songs; it begins in a pretty straightforward death metal vein with great death growls and melodic guitar riffs. However, at around the midpoint, Lester's galloping bass is reduced and replaced by undulating effects that are filtered through harmonically rich guitars. The piece finalises in a droney sense where strong drums continue to beat until the final second.

Void is a very strong start for Intronaut. If this type of music is your thing, you should check it out.

Haven't heard enough "great" metal this year, i was beginning to think 2006 was going to be a big bummer. Now, that's not saying there hasn't been any good metal being thrown out there, but there wasn't anything too innovative or extremely captivating. I would suggest you buy this album. It is VERY good.

This is frequently played in my cd player! All of their music is great! This album is a must! Very powerful band live also, dont miss them!

This band is truely one of those amazing bands that should be given far more credit than they probably are. There longer than average songs are well worth listening to and you'll never find yourself bored. I like to consider them as metal meets phish, but they are much more than that. There newer albums have a bit more harmonizing and singing, but this album is just as wonderful to listen to. Lots of odd time and interesting sounds! I find nothing about this band to be trite. I have seen them live and they prove to be much more than just a studio band! If you enjoy metal or jam bands, better yet if you enjoy both, this is your band. I recommend them to any music lover out there with an open ear.

If you have a pulse and you enjoy progressive metal, this one is the bee's tweeds or whatever it is those british people say. The best drummer in metal right here, showing his focused powers.

Intronaut play a specific brand of metal obviously influenced by such bands as Neurosis, Isis, Pelican, and perhaps Mastodon. Gritty, hypnotic and repetitive riffs reminiscent especially of classic Neurosis collide into eerie interludes and vague, static textures and effects, occasionally languishing in spacey clean-tone guitar interludes and tribal-esque drumming. I actually have enjoyed both this album and their previous EP, "Null", quite a bit compared to a lot of the latest metal releases. Cool stuff, and great for those who like doomy, repetitive post-metal-style dirges. I must point out that I have read several reveiews comparing them to Meshuggah, which is not really accurate....I think that the closest comparison is definatlely "Through Silver In Blood"-era Neurosis. Recommended.