Memento Mori - 2020
7.5/10
Mmm, the endless pit of "the album cover and name alone caught my interest." Pneuma Hagion actually grabbed my attention back in 2020 when it was first released, but like many others of its type, at the time it was just a little too extreme for my tastes. I'd later pick it up in part of a sale that the label did with several other splendid releases, being one I revisit from time to time, but always struggled with how I feel. Well, Voidgazer is finally getting the deeper look. The band's name is Greek for "Holy Spirit," but don't go into this expecting a helping of Greek black metal, because it's stylistically far from that (and, they're from Texas).
Instead, Voidgazer is oddly one of the cleanest delves into the blackened death metal realm that I've ever come across. From end to end you're served a small helping of unrelenting drum blasts, coarse and abrasive death growls that have a blackened hint from time to time, and chunky riffs that wouldn't feel out of place on a more recent Morbid Angel album. What's daunting is just how polished this feels, as all the instrumentation is jarringly clean, with each part sticking out and not being overshadowed or overshadowing anything else. Hell, even the vocals feel far too concise for the effort at hand.
Typically, that would irritate me, and I'd dismiss this into the "generic" pile. It may help that the album doesn't even touch the half-hour mark, allowing things to make their impressions without overstaying their welcome, but I find myself enjoying this every time I come back to it. The shifts from tremolo to death metal chug, the layering allowing the focus to move to something different within the songs, and the general delivery are all part of a pleasant experience. Aesthetically, the only real complaint is that some of the guitar tones have way too much of a deathcore-oriented chug to them, especially in the breakdown on "Timeless Darkness."
While it sounds like I'm basically praising the hell out of the Pneuma Hagion debut, it's very much lacking in the realm of having any standout moments alone. In a way, I almost have to call it "accidently good," because as I've said, the overall experience is a fun one. But if the record wasn't so short, and if the construction alone didn't feel so unique, would I be saying the same thing? Ultimately it takes me back to what I was saying at the start; I'm still not entirely sure about my exact feelings, but if nothing else, you can be assured I'll continue returning to it. Worth hearing for any black/death fans.
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