Void Above, Abyss Below

We all can name a million different Darkthrone clone bands in a moment’s time, but how many bands are out there heralding the aforementioned band’s Hate Them and Sardonic Wrath era? I believe we have at least one name now that Curse has come up with Void Above, Abyss Below, an album with the darkness of 90s’ black metal (and vocals so damn close to Nocturno Culto’s) but with the attitude of a demented old school thrash / punk affair.

From that perspective, Curse does very fine throughout the mid-tempo savage and simple power chord riffage, but once again it’s the compositional predictability that rises to be the album’s worst enemy at least on the first half of the record, though points can be given to the fact that the material is partially improvised with an on-the-go mentality. Considering that, the band has done quite a hell of a job with these 36 minutes that form the competetent whole of Void Above, Abyss Below.

To analyze the album’s (moderate) diversity further, there are certain moments - residing mostly in the album’s latter half - that part from the common paradigm, such as ”Infernal Visions” that meets more with the recent rocking Satyricon releases, and then there’s the surprisingly adventurous ”Painting the Devil on the Wall” that is laden with a great deal of lead melody. Not to be forgotten is also the album ender ”Priests of the Underworld” that utilizes choir style singing, synths and overall a tad more malicious atmosphere.

Of all the underground black metal albums of recent times, Void Above, Abyss Below doesn’t exactly rise to the top ranks (I could mention Tsorer’s Return to Sodom that still does things a little better) but the album does deliver its riffs in a very smooth and enjoyable manner that endures repeated listens, hence deserving a favorable score and a chance in the audio players of other lovers of punky old school black metal.

3 / 5
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