In the realm of underground metal death/doom outfit Temple Of Void already garnered a lot of attention and now with the release of the third full length “The World That Was” the band is ready to embrace a sonic evolution that inevitably leads to diverse experimental patterns.   

The sense of impending doom is clear throughout “A Beast Among Us” as the mournful rhythmic variations and the obscure growls naturally channel darkness & despair in the midst of a murky atmosphere further emphasized by the lugubrious tonalities of the mighty guitar work. 

On “Self-Schism” the rhythmic rampage is characterized by a hostile death metal inspiration yet the experimental approach leads to multifaceted nuances and the doom elements are palpable within the monolithic guitar progressions that will eventually evolve into mysterious melodic waves. 

The atmosphere of “Leave The Light Behind” immediately conveys futuristic and post-metal vibes that introduce a darkened instrumental ensemble filled with memorable dreamy guitar melodies accompanied by melancholic clean vocals in contrast with the scattered energetic rhythmic patterns of the groovy riffs.  

The title track returns to a classic gloomy doom grandeur as guitars acquire massive gothic tinged nuances to diligently craft alluring crestfallen melodies that are bound to express poignant emotions and become the dominant motif yet there is still space to unleash some significantly heavier charismatic rhythmic segments. 

On “The World That Was” Temple Of Void focuses on an intricate audacious composition that tends to go beyond the traditional formula of death/doom metal in order to achieve a unique sonic identity. 

Haunt began as a solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church but now it’s clear that they are becoming an unstoppable force releasing another brand new full length “Mind Freeze” in a very short time. 

With “Light The Beacon” Haunt fully manifest their will to carry the torch for classic ‘80s metal unleashing fiery guitar riffs and tight rhythmic blasts which definitely lead to an overload of entertaining grooves yet maintain a rather somber atmosphere. 

With a fierce faster rhythmic section “Hearts On Fire” channels pure energy as the galloping guitar riffs constantly build cohesive grooves reminiscing of the golden era of heavy metal and the chorus is also quite memorable. 

The title track features captivating rounds of powerful guitar driven grooves and fancy leads even if this time the tempo is slower to emphasize an inner emotional gloom also expressed by the slightly melancholic vocals and the atmospheric accents. 

On “Saviours Of Man” the old school heavy metal formula is still prominent with solid riffage and wicked soloing but the darkened synths layers certainly influence the general mood so there’s a higher degree of melancholy perfectly matched by the vocal delivery. 

The synths continue to have a significant role on “Have No Fear” in fact the resulting dark atmosphere creates a nice contrast with the high energy & speed of the rhythmic patterns that reach the acme with the wild guitar solo. 

Listening to “Mind Freeze” you will easily comprehend that Haunt firmly believe in heavy metal and they fearlessly continue to follow the chosen musical pathway with genuine passion disregarding whatever is supposed to be trendy right now. 

Haunt began as a solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church and on the sophomore release “If Icarus Could Fly” they passionately continue to carry the torch for traditional heavy metal.

With the explosive album opener “Run And Hide” Haunt prove to be genuinely devoted to an old fashioned way to make music in fact this track is filled with memorable hooks featuring gritty guitar riffs and electrifying rhythmic patterns that stand out for the 80’s & 70’s influenced tonalities emphasized by the energetic acrobatics of the guitar soloing.

“It’s In My Hands” has an anthemic rock flair with evident retro vibes and a super catchy chorus while the guitar work has the charismatic energy necessary to impress the listeners with loads of tight riffs and flamboyant solos.

While “Ghosts” doesn’t really put aside the groovy structure it tends to favor a more melodic direction as the emotional vocal delivery and the lead guitar progressions acquire nostalgic tonalities leading to the smooth harmonies of the vibrant solo.

There’s no intention to deviate from the album’s mood so the title track offers fiery rock dynamics courtesy of a cohesive groovy rhythmic ensemble and again the guitar work confidently delivers remarkable shredding solos.

All things must come to an end so the final track “Defender” might feel a bit nostalgic but the band is ready to unleash a fair dosage of fervent guitar riffs, bold drum blasts and soaring melodic solos which as expected add some entertaining variations.

Undoubtedly the irresistible charm of “If Icarus Could Fly” comes from the overdose of thrilling guitar driven grooves and as we are currently witnessing a triumphant renaissance of classic heavy metal it’s nice to see how Haunt sincerely pay homage to such beloved genre.