REVIEW: Within Destruction – Void [2016]

Review: Within Destruction 

Album: Void

Contemplate the vastness of the universe—briefly attempt to understand the utter expanses of completely unknown lands that exist among the stars—then shudder and shake as your mind seizes up in complete and utter shock at what we cannot comprehend. That is what makes space—a awaiting void, the final frontier—just as interesting as it is absolutely horrifying. We have no way of knowing with any certainty what waits for us in the Void, but if Within Destruction’s latest full length record is any indication of what might be out there, we’d better stay far, far away. From the bitter depths of Slovenia, this slamming quartet bring Void, a lesson in vicious, visceral slamming deathcore that stops at nothing to peel every inch of skin from the still-living listener’s body—drawing from practically every source of heaviness there is to reduce the listener’s skull to dust.

From blast beats to beatdowns and everything in between, Void gathers intensity from every corner of the heavy music universe to send it crashing down on the listener’s head. Within Destruction do their name justice, dedicating themselves to the complete decimation of anything subtle and delicate the listener may hold dear. Percussionist Luka Vezzosi is a beast behind the kit—when his blast beats on “Plague of Immortality” aren’t shredding the listener’s skin into confetti, his behemoth kick drum on “Rebirth of an Inverted World” is breaking bones with every meaty thud. Vezzosi is vicious throughout the entirety of Void, slowing down only to syncopate with bassist Janez Skumavc and guitarist Damir Juretic to create world-ending breakdowns. Perhaps the greatest task undertaken by Within Destruction’s instrumentalists falls upon Skumavc—as he is forced to both keep up with Vezzosi’s whirlwind drumming while also playing along with Juretic’s shred-tinted riffs and dissonant, devilish grooves. “A Spiral Rift Towards Damnation” is a great example of this—Within Destruction’s tight-knit dynamic—as the trio unleash unbelievably technical riffs and patterns all while staying perfectly harmonized with one another, working as one gargantuan machine to flatten the listener.

With a musical canvas that covers beatdown, slam and deathcore with room to spare, the need for a talented and diverse vocalist with stamina and energy both becomes crucial. Fortunately, Within Destruction get just that with frontman Rok Rupnik. With the rasping, horrifying guttural and squealing talents of Luke Griffin, and bitter growls that segue into shrieking highs that are on par with Oceano’s Adam Warren, Rupnik is the perfect answer to Within Destruction’s devastating musical dynamic. “Void” and “Plague of Immortality” see him leaning heavily on his brutal death metal and slam roots, spending a majority of his time bree-ing and squee-ing away. However, “The Wrath of Kezziah” and “Martyrs” both see Rupnik using growls and screams more consistently, changing up his candor and flow to keep things fresh and avoid monotony. Last—but not least—his work with Warren on “An Unforseeable Anomaly” is nothing short of perfection, combining Warren’s signature style with Rupnik’s ruthless intensity, giving fans of everything from Traitors to Cattle Decapitation and Devourment something to love.

Combining musical variety with relentless intensity and non-stop energy—then top it off with a perfect vocal performance—and what do you get? You get the most comprehensively heavy album 2016 has seen so far. No holds barred and no mercy given, Void is dissonant, dark brutality from start to finish. With moments of jaw-dropping technicality (“Plague of Immortality” or “Rebirth of an Inverted World”) and heaviness that practically defies description (“An Unforseeable Anomoly”), there is nothing not to love about the absolutely eviscerating energy that coats Within Destruction’s sound. Prolapse-inducing and punishing from start to finish, Void is the sort of release that will make you fear the unknown.

9/10

For Fans Of: Ingested, Slaughter to Prevail, Sentenced (UK), Oceano, Acrania

By: Connor Welsh