Inherits the Void – Monolith of Light (Review)

This is the debut album from Inherits the Void, a French one-man black metal act.

Monolith of Light is 37 minutes long and contains a form of melodically-rich atmospheric black metal that hits the spot quite nicely. The promo blurb tells us that the artist behind the band wanted to aim for “a meeting between influences from the ‘90s Swedish black metal scene and a more current orientation of the genre”, and I’d suggest that this has been achieved. The album has an old-school core that’s enhanced by more modern post-blackened influences.

The songs on this album are songs that you can truly become absorbed in. Concentrate on them too closely and you might find yourself falling into their dark world headlong.

The songs are wreathed in atmosphere and mood. The dark melodies and immersive synths conspire with the furious heart of the music to produce a cosmic feel that’s quite enticing. The artist’s layered approach to composition produces songs that have a lot going on at once, but the strength of the songwriting is such that this is handled well, adding value and depth, rather than obscuring. It’s frequently complex, yet in a way that increases the atmospheric engagement of the listener.

The vocals mainly consists of soul-shredding screams, although subtle clean singing and backing chants are used in places too. It’s a strong combination, and suits the music well.

The debut album from Inherits the Void is a dense, aggressive, complex affair that takes time to truly get under the skin of. It’s highly atmospheric and emotive, and although makes a very striking, good first impression, repeat visits are strongly encouraged to get the most out of this layered work. It’s worth the time investment, especially as it’s quite a brief album, as Monolith of Light has much to offer fans of the style.

Highly recommended.