Album/EP

Void Of Vision - CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN (EP Review)

Walladmin
Heavy Metal Wordsmith
/10
Apr 27, 2022
7 min read

Void of Vision – CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN EP
Released: April 29, 2022

Lineup

Jack Bergin // Vocals
James McKendrick // Guitar, vocals
Mitch Farley // Guitar
George Murphy // Drums

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Can you believe it's only been six months since Void of Vision debuted LUST, the first in their series of CHRONICLES EPs which has enticed fans since the release of their first taste of new music, Now, we're on the eve of CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN's release and with two stellar singles already out from the EP, we're keen to jump the heck in and let you know what else the band have been working on in music world...

The industrial metal sound is prominent on opening track 'BERGHAIN' (a nod to frontman Jack Bergin's last name maybe?) as he kicks into gear with his raspy screams. There's something about Jack's screams that stand out from the rest of the metal/core scene - they border more on the hardcore side of the fence, but they fit perfectly with the machine that Void of Vision have become after fine-tuning their sound over the years. I can absolutely foresee this becoming the band's new opening song at future shows and with the way they've been owning the stage (most recently at Full Tilt Brisbane) it's going to be met with open arms and ninja kicks galore.

But Jack doesn't get all the attention for the vocals, where the heck has guitarist James McKendrick been hiding these cleans? It has added a completely new dimension to VoV's overall sound and proves this duo bounce off each other like seasoned veterans. I got to mention it in person at Full Tilt, but James, your cleans are top-notch mate. So keen for more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om8pMa94wMw

'DOMINATRIX' follows and as we already know, this one packed a huge punch upon release. Whether it be the heavy instrumentals, the backing synth, James' cleans or that alluring female voice in the chorus, this is arguably one of the best tracks in the entire back catalogue for Void of Vision. The breakdown is brutal. The screams are on point and this unrelenting uptempo hit is going to appear on many end of year lists without a doubt. The electro-metalcore elements continue on 'INTO THE DARK' where we are once again met with a head bashing beat that leads us into Jack's voice screaming 'Into the dark with you' before James steps up and takes control of the vocal performance for the majority of the song.

Much like how Northane took metalcore to edm/core territory with Alien, Void of Vision take it deeper into the ether showing they're also masters of combining the two genres together with success. George Murphy's drumming is stellar on this track and needs a mention, especially for helping to accentuate the chorus which reads 'I don’t wanna feel the way you feel/Well can you feel it too?/Coz I don’t wanna feel the way I feel/Deja vu into the dark with you'. Imagine this song in a stadium or large scale venue atmosphere. It is going to sound nuts and I cannot wait until that day comes for these lads.

'SAINT MISERABLE' brings us back down to some familiar territory with exceptionally heavy instrumental and backing synth taking the spotlight. As Mitch Farley and McKendrick play frantic riffs simultaneously with each other, Jack steps up for the spotlight again with distorted screams that at times sounded a bit hard to hear (but don't take too much away from his delivery) but he's joined by James who offers his own backing growls to boost the level of heaviness being flung towards the listener. Don't stress, his cleans are back too and I am still utterly in awe that this is the same bloke we've been covering at Wall of Sound HQ since the band first landed in our inbox... Out of all the songs so far, this is the one I gelled with the lease. I gave it a few spins in a row but it just didn't reach the mark that the previous tracks had done successfully...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu0mkCyMUf0

It does however lead directly into 'ALTAR' which kicks off with Creeper vocalist Hannah Hermionie Greenwood's beautiful voice, a surprise addition that I didn't expect until I saw the song credits. The blast beats that bring us into the mix are so on point you're not going to get enough of them! After giving this one four streams in a row, at times, it feels like an extended breakdown for the entirety of the song (minus slow sections/chorus) but the signature moment that sold it for me was the bassy breakdown that leads to Jack screaming 'YOU CALL THIS LOOOOOOVE' before another action-packed drum section takes over. It had me thinking if it was a nod to Northlane's 'Bloodline' lyrics or if the band were taking those lyrics to their own dark place. Either way, it worked for me and it's a win all around as I stare here in awe of what I just heard.

Sonically, this release is going to launch Void of Vision from their current place in the scene to the top of the skyscrapers around them. The trajectory from when I first met these lads to now has been nothing short of incredible and I feel they've finally found a signature sound to hone in on which not only showcases their abilities as heavy musicians but their ability to try new things (like those f*cking cleans James!!!) and nail it with precision and perfection - without taking away from their metalcore roots.

Void Of Vision Chornicles II Heaven tracklist

Void of Vision – CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN EP tracklisting

  1. BERGHAIN
  2. DOMINATRIX
  3. INTO THE DARK
  4. SAINT MISERABLE
  5. ALTAR feat. Hannah Hermionie Greenwood

Rating: 9/10
CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN EP is out tomorrow via UNFD. Pre-order/save here
Review by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82-Aw_mWoLk

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Heavy Metal Wordsmith
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