This is the second album from US death metallers Voidceremony.
Featuring members of Decrepisy, Cauldron Black Ram, Mournful Congregation, Atramentus, Worm, and First Fragment, it’s clear a lot of talent and experience has gone into Threads of Unknowing, and this is reason enough to check out Voidceremony. Then the promo blurb goes and tells me that the record is for fans of bands like Stargazer, Pestilence, Chthe’ilist, Morbid Angel, Immolation, The Chasm, Aenigmatum, Atheist, Timeghoul, Liers in Wait, and Innana, and it’s simply a must.
But have my expectations been met?
Of course, as otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered reviewing it.
Threads of Unknowing contains 37 minutes of progressive death metal. The music is complex and aggressive, weaving around the listener in a deadly graceful dance, while unleashing multiple strikes and building jagged, mutant soundscapes. Packed with riffs and solos, each track has more meaty content, dazzling performances, and substantive ideas than many other bands manage across an entire album.
Voidceremony’s death metal is rooted in the old-school and delivers the sort of technical and progressive death metal feast that fans of the style will simply lap up. Despite this, Threads of Unknowing doesn’t feel stale in any way. How could it when it offers a sumptuous banquet of technical mastery, progressive worldbuilding, and wanton death metal carnage? Voidceremony clearly know what they’re doing with the style, and these songs are satisfying and enjoyable, (the only exception being At the Periphery of Human Realms (The Immaterial Grave), which is essentially an extended interlude and mostly just filler).
Aside from this one minor issue, this is an easy album to just sit back, listen to, and enjoy. The complexity is inviting rather than off-putting, and makes for very moreish songs that you want to revisit while they smash in your face. Voidceremony have unleashed a rewarding album on the world, and it’s one worth spending the time to explore.
Highly recommended for fans of the style.
Wonderbox Metal 