Review of Ethereal Void - Primordial Dissonance / Spinebuster Entertainment

 There’s a certain pleasure in hearing a band get its hands on a filthy, heavy riff and refuse to let go of it. That’s pretty much where Ethereal Void win me over. Primordial Dissonance has that thick, dragging weight to it, but the trio doesn't just plod around in the same gear for the whole record. The riffs twist, the drums keep throwing little spanners into the works, and every so often the whole thing lurches sideways when you expect it to charge ahead.

The Gojira comparisons aren't pulled out of thin air, although Ethereal Void have a dirtier death metal backbone than that comparison alone suggests. Some of the faster passages bring a different kind of punch, while the tribal, almost industrial pulse that turns up here and there gives the album a slightly strange edge. I like that they don't shove these ideas into every song just to make a point. The downside is that, after a while, some of the chugging and rhythmic stops start to feel a little too familiar. Not every riff has the same bite.

"Writhe" is one of the better moments for me. It has that heavy, awkward swing that makes you want to bang your head, preferably without worrying about what your neck will feel like tomorrow. The band understands that a riff can hit harder when it leaves a bit of space around it, rather than burying everything under speed and noise.

I wouldn't call Primordial Dissonance a game-changer, and the band still has some way to go before its sound becomes unmistakable. But this is a meaty record with plenty of good riffs, a nasty groove and enough odd turns to keep it from becoming background noise. Give me this over another spotless, overworked technical death metal album any day.

https://www.facebook.com/EtherealVoid/

Thanks to Grand Sounds PR.