Project Description
VOID OF VISION
‘Hyperdaze’
(Album Review)
Reviewer: Connor Gutteridge
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Hyperdaze the latest album from Void of Vision was recently released via UNFD. Atop the release, Void Of Vision will thrash stages in Australia, Europe and the UK in support of Northlane. Reviewer Connor Gutteridge shares his thoughts on the album below.
1.Overture/2.Year of the rat
I always love hearing albums that have an intro track as it gives an insight into what the introduction to upcoming shows is going to be. I really love how well Overture fades into Year of the Rat. The first official song on the track bringing in the album with a slow paced, low end heavy intro riff to introduce the album, not sure what tuning that is but it’s dropped low.
This song really has an old style Northlane feel to it with the use of low tuning riffs and powerful higher register unclean vocals in the verses that mash well with the high register clean vocals in the choruses. The two voices work together well as they are both higher register leaving the listener intrigued by the sound that they are hearing, unique vocal style.
The lyrics are a little bit difficult to decipher as they are quite cryptic. From my understanding they are about someone who is a liar, cheater and likes to manipulate people. But more than that I believe they are about seeing through someone who is fake in life through lyrics like; “You can bury the past; no ghosts will find you as long as you live a lie, I’ll haunt you”.
The arrangement of this song is very well put together with a drop in the bridge section to build anticipation for the second chorus with the use of muffled drum sounds and ambient vocals.
Gives the song a very progressive feel as each section aside from the choruses is different from the last. The use of the ambient outro with the clean guitar is a cool way to finish off the song as it drops the mood before busting into the next powerhouse.
3.Babylon
The use of the fade in at the beginning before smashing into a face paced riff/drum combination is a cool unique touch to this track. The use of the quick hat to snare one two combination drum beats really adds pace to the song as you hear in the next phase of the song it really on the drums that slow down but it feels like the whole song has slowed right down.
This song is a progressive piece with a lot of heavy influence, utilising the unclean vocals throughout the whole song for a 2-and-a-half-minute head bangers dream.
I also like that while they use dynamic changes to emulate progressions in the song, they also use tempo changes as a means of splitting the song into sections. Babylon is just a small demonstration of the views that the lyricist has and may be a bit strong for some listeners; however, is well written and sung to get a point of view across in typical metal fashion.
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4.If Only
If Only is the 4th track from the album and right from the get-go this song is a mid-paced fun style song through the use of repetition riffing and basic symbol/snare beats with that killer kick drum pattern. All of this pieced together with the aggressive unclean vocals used throughout the verses really brings a vibe of aggression to the verses.
Before busting into the sweet sound of clean vocals used in the chorus in an almost Amity Affliction style melodically. I especially love the kind of pre-chorus section in the second verse where the song progresses from the riff to the straight chords in line with the drum beat.
It brings a new life to the song without letting it get stale with all the repetition. Guitar solo is on point. Placed perfectly in the arrangement straight after a dynamic drop and showing that not all guitar solos have to be shred fest’s to be effective and in some cases simplicity is key.
The lyrics paint a picture of an ungrateful figure in a person’s life. The type of person who you help on every turn and pick up when they fall but wouldn’t do the same for you. “You think I place myself on pedestals? How could I? My hands are full and they’re still holding onto you”.
The lyrics speak of hurt from this figure. But also, the vibe behind the music that works with the lyrics kind of feels like a ‘You’ve done this. You suck. I’m over it’ sort of feel; vibe of triumph.
5.Slave to the Name
The lyrics give the vision of someone who is down on their luck, crippled by depression and about ready to give it all up. “So over losing sleep So sick of the sound of my own heartbeat” this is a figure who is sick of the negative in their life.
This song has a less heavy feel than the rest of the record so far with the soft guitar intro before coming into their signature distorted riff tone with a slight decrease in dynamics to fit with the vibe of the song.
A personal favourite element of this song that I love is the riff when the song drops in with the guitar doing that subtle bend at the end of each phase of the lick. It’s weird and unexpected but so awesome. Another key aspect to this song that hasn’t been used a great deal until now is the use of electronic background noises especially in the outro.
This achieves a sense of diversity in the writing as it shows they don’t have to 100% stick to the metal core influence and have the ability to mix it up and play around with EDM as well. The utilisation of the clean vocals in this song (while still keeping uncleans) is something that is becoming increasingly more common in the metalcore universe at the moment as people love to hear a sexy clean hook. The mood of the song fits well with the theme of the lyrics and mesh’s together to create a well arranged, heartfelt song that the listener is going to love.
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6.Adrenaline/7.Hole In Me
This track is the obvious intermission of the album dropping completely away from there metal side and showing the dance clubs how it’s done. Tapping nicely into their EDM influence for a minute and a half interlude before busting into the next head banger.
While keeping with the electronic theme with a metal side to it for the intro is a cool way that they have tied this track to the last one. This track was one of the pre-release tracks for the album and listeners can definitely see why it was.
It really paints a picture of the heavy aggressive nature of the album in a unique sense that will be with them right to the end. I love how even in the less heavy tracks in the songs they still smash a vibe of aggression through to the ears of the listeners.
Hole In Me is one of those tracks that takes a little piece from every influence that they can think of and puts it all into one track. Notice that every different section of the track has a uniqueness about it which gives the listener a fresh listening experience every 10-20 seconds. The arrangement of the song is spot on along with the mix being on point to. Enjoy this one, everyone else has.
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8.Kerosene Dream
Just like that, right back into the heavy heavy stuff that we know and love. This song has everything the heavy seekers want; aggressive vocals, mid calved out distorted guitars, blast beats and all tied in by dynamic rise and falls throughout the whole piece.
Right when you think it’s on the tail end before the outro. It blasts back in with one last aggressive bashing of heaviness This is one for the metal heads. Being one of the heavier songs on the album it holds up the standard for the metal heads the prefer the unclean dominant songs.
Everything from the tone of the guitars to the pop in the drums and the shear force of the vocals, proceed with caution cause this one will blow your brain.
9. Decay
Decay has yet again another unknown feel to it with the incorporation of a different sounding guitar tone under a fade in effect in the beginning to build anticipation for the rest of the band to come in. This effect works really well to set the general vibe for the track being unique in itself.
This track also incorporates some other elements such as the drums being the focal point for the song and the use of vocals effects in the verses. This is another dirty vocal dominant song which seems to be a bit of a pattern for the second half of the album with minimal clean vocals.
The riffs are very catchy and the hook of the bend riff in the chorus is such a cool effect because it is simple but sounds amazing in line with the power words being sung.
The lyrics of this song paint a person who is on edge and about ready to snap at any point when you consider lyrics such as “Hate crawling through my veins; Skin don’t take all too much to get under these days”.
The lyrics work with the tone and vibe of the song, the man is sick of it and wants a change. This music in this song has a groovy feel for the style of the song, its one of those songs that if they did a stripped version of the song it would be a completely unrecognisable song, I love that in music.
10.Splinter
The fade in effect in the beginning seems to be a very popular effect with this album; however, each time having a different element as the main focus of the fade in build-up. Right from the word go of this track its machine gun drums and heavy vocals to light the fire in the listeners head.
Another song that is all dirty vocals without any cleans which is both loved and hated in the metal community on one hand people love to hear clean vocals but on the other hand people just want pure heavy metal to get them through the day.
The use of the guitars taking the melodic side of the song while the vocals bass and drums are adding the thickness to the song is a cool change up from the norm.
I love how the incorporation of distinct double kickers on the drums was used throughout this song to add a pace to the song for all those who need their dose of a fast-paced banger, this is the one for you.
11. Hyperdaze
Here we are at the end of this absolute cracker of an album by the boys, Void Of Vision and just in case you hadn’t had enough they have turned up one last time. This time with a bred mix of EDM mixed in with heavy riffs, just in case listeners didn’t think they could mash the two together successfully.
Would have liked to hear one last track with some clean vocals throughout the track but that’s okay they have stuck with the pattern of the melodic songs in the first half and the core non-melodic songs in the second half which is a cool idea that not a lot of bands have jumped on.
It creates a definite difference in the songs and arrangements. The pull off riff in the beginning is a simple but effective way to introduce this progressive piece with changes throughout the whole song making it one of the more creative pieces on the album as far as progression and arrangement goes. What a way to finish off a potential record of the year candidate.
All in all this album was a great way for the Aussie’s to get onto the scale of the metal scene in a different way than before and to be able to show people what they can do in a bigger way than they ever had before.
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Track List
Overture
Year Of The Rat
Babylon
If Only
Slave To The Name
Adrenaline
Hole In Me
Kerosene Dream
Decay
Splinter
Hyperdaze
Australian Tour Dates
Supporting Northlane
TICKETS
Friday October 11 – UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney
Saturday October 12 – The Triffid, Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
Thursday October 17 –170 Russell, Melbourne
Friday October 18 – 170 Russell, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
Saturday October 19 – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide (SOLD OUT)
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