Temple of Void - The World That Was (2020)^{Release ID: 18416}

Detroit's Temple of Void release their third full-length and, for me as a confirmed doomhead, it's their best yet. It's pulverising death doom is enhanced by influences from other genres such as space and psychedelic rock, although not in any glaringly obvious way, but more in a stylistic atmosphere, particularly through the subtle and organic deployment of synths that adds an additional layer of atmosphere to the album's sound without swamping it. Of particular note is the spanish guitar interlude of A Single Obolous that then leads into Leave the Light Behind, the track that most overtly displays additional influences, with it's spacey Hawkwind-style synths and clean sung chorus as it describes the transition from the world of the living to the world of the afterlife.

One aspect of the album that may well become ignored is that, despite the inherent heaviness of it's punishing riffs, it is, in fact, unexpectedly catchy for a death doom album, it's melodies being remarkably memorable. Mike Erdody (who is also vocalist with Acid Witch) is one of my favourite death doom vocalists and the way his voice drips necroticism on Self-Schism when he intones the line "Devour the hours until darkness is left" is guaranteed to send shivers down the spine.

A special album from a band who are bringing something extra to a long-established genre without compromising what makes that genre so great to it's devotees. As a sidenote, there may not be another album released this year with a more unintentionally apt title.