a review of Voiceless Infinity by Gravity Thieves
Sunrise opens this album up on a bitter note. The moodiness of the guitar and even the gritty texture of its tone suggest this dawn is one of reckoning.
The song itself is quite repetitive, as is the entire album, but somehow makes this an asset. There’s a feeling of dragging out one’s last moments before embracing a cold new reality. The music doesn’t want to move on, and that’s the point. The resistance strengthens as we approach that point of no return.
A Crisis of Faith dives right into this dark new world. Again utilizing repetition to build the tension, an overwhelming dread takes shape in the heart and mind. This is the existential crisis personified in sound.
Chugging metal riffs and screaming sirens settle into a calm before the storm. And then, a nihilist embrace. Like an anti-hero origin story, replete with stern resolve moving forward.
It is in these powerful moments I begin yearning for more from the drums. More variety in fills and a wider dynamic range would go a long way in emphasizing the emotions conveyed.
This issue is somewhat rectified in Stars Above the Citadel. A soft melody fades in slowly amidst a sea of space and surrealism and abruptly crashes into a minor harmonic delight. It feels like the first mission of our newly christened anti-hero. Full of adventure, suspense, and the occasional groovy bass line, this song repeats far less than its predecessors. Lulled into a sense of security and expectations, we now know to expect the unexpected. Riffs aplenty in this album highlight.
Capture and Control brings a much needed change of pace and vibe. More like a stealth mission, carefully and thoughtfully setting up its big moments.
Clean riffs cut through all the dirt to keep things fresh and on target. Finally, the moment of truth strikes with a vengeance. A screeching solo rips through space in a flash and just as quickly fades like a ghost into the night.
A rare moment of quiet soul searching comes in Arrokoth. Aptly named for the cold distant object drifting in the far reaches of our solar system. Distance and void are superbly conveyed in swelling synth chords, creating an Effective juxtaposition with the crisp and dry acoustic.
Into Shallow Water abruptly disturbs our trance with an all out assault of blast beats and distortion. The tight unison of the bass and guitar sound the alarm. Dissonance grows and danger nears. This is a new and greater reckoning to perfectly complement Sunrise.
An epic, Free Bird-worthy guitar solo closes this album with gusto and wah, fading into the distance, determined and uncompromising.
For fans of thrash metal and progressive storytelling. Thoughtfully crafted and full of raw energy, I give this album a 9/10. There are several moments where greater dynamic contrast could elevate this suite to a 10, but it remains a wild ride nonetheless.
Authored by Dan
