Friday, 22 March 2013

Review: Call of the Void - Dragged Down a Dead End Path



Call of the Void
 Dragged Down a Dead End Path

Relapse Records has always been my favourite place to go for one-step-above-indie metal.  That kind of metal that isn’t going to fill arenas, but that also wasn’t recorded on someone’s four-track and then distributed on a cassette-only label out of Denmark.  This in-between level is by far my favourite, with the likes of Pig Destroyer and Fuck the Facts confidently leading the Relapse line-up (on that note, why the hell is Fuck the Facts so criminally underrated? ...I’m sure I’ll write a separate post about that some day).

So when I caught an animated banner on some metal forum promoting Call of the Void’s Dragged Down a Dead End Path I took notice because Relapse was putting it out.  Now, I don’t love everything I hear coming from Relapse, but I always feel that I owe each band at least one listen, and it’s times like this that it completely pays off to do so.  Previously known as Iron Horse (a band name that I like more, but I’m sure they had to change it because of some other band threatening a law suit or some such shit), Colorado's Call of the Void delivers an impressive mix of metal/hardcore/crusty d-beat that bands like Rise and Fall have popularized. What makes this group stand out are the riffs that they use throughout this record.  A lot of bands playing this style of metal/hardcore always seem to favour a barrage of sound over distinctive riffs and an element of groove and dynamics.  Call of the Void recognizes the need for a little variety and it really helps shape each track and gives the entire album a more diverse and less monotonous feel.

This album is dirty, mean, crushingly heavy, and impressive from start to finish.  Songs like “The Liar’s Heart” and “Bottom Feeder” stand out as particularly great songs, but there really isn’t a significant low point on this album.

In short, you should buy it here.

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