Pulling from feats long left for dead in order to reinforce the increasingly blighted, chaos-bound evolution of their sound Copenhagen, Denmark-based death/doom metal duo DEAD VOID return with a sledge across the braincase via this short but squarely representative sophomore full-length album. Within its blend of new and demo-era compositions ‘Cranial Devastation‘ refines the impact of the band’s ‘old school’ death-doom verve to accentuate their more slapped-at bestial unction unto slicker, less rigidly cut pieces. Despite being quite a bit shorter than their previous release and ending on a dry note the strength of these pieces is undeniable as a follow-up to and restatement of their worthy goals.

Formed between former members of Grave Miasma, Whip (Norway) and a live member of Conan the original configuration of Dead Void manifested nearby at least ~2017 appearing as a trio on three rehearsal tapes ’til readied up for a debut LP (‘Volatile Forms‘, 2022) soon after. The band made a point to suggest their work avoided technical, progressive and ritualistic style and thusly their death/doom intent translated pretty squarely in the realm of earlier Cianide releases albeit with oftentimes more sophisticated pacing and contrasting tirades inserted. Upon reviewing that first album I’d remarked on its early Celtic Frost (by way of Winter) groaning riffcraft, stark yet pillar-heavy production values while primarily musing upon a not entirely death metal centric point of view. Unique choices, both aesthetic and sonic, ensured a compelling enough experience but largely for the sake of extreme doom metal appeal.

Though the music was balls-heavy and that’d been the main spectacle I’d been left with the impression that live performance, and achievable performance in general, was one of the most important aspects of Dead Void‘s whole stripped-down gig. Granted their discography was primarily live-in-studio/rehearsal tapes at that point but I think that translates to the (mostly) live recordings on ‘Cranial Devastation‘, not to mention at least a few of these five songs are tracks interpreted from the band’s 2018 and 2021 rehearsal tapes. It is also worth noting that this record is ten minutes shorter than the last and features a cover/reinterpretation to push its length past the half hour mark.

Though the duo’s music is yet primarily death/doom metal, “Regurgitation of Ancient Manifest” and later-on “Cranial Devastation” inarguably are, but we could argue the focus here is otherwise mid-paced movement somewhere along that broader definition. The previously vestigial bestial/blackened edge of the band and general pace of their work sparks up quite a bit more in contrast to the plodding columnar bent of ‘Volatile Forms‘, ultimately suggesting a work meant to realize the band’s earliest ambitions rather than leave old pieces in roughed-in form. The suggested opener is probably the best piece to highlight all prior observations at once: Mammoth production values with a sense of “real” space, a raw and faster-paced edge contrasted with slugged out doom-paced movement, and a clear sense of continuity with the identity they’d forged from 2017-2022.

Dead Void‘s tackle of this third and best version of “Isolation’s Hold”, a piece found on all three of their demos, feels like a missing link that might’ve expanded the appeal of ‘Volatile Forms‘ more readily with its echoic charge, bestial touch and big stomping maul around the ~1:20 minute mark. There is a satisfying loss of rigidity which takes place on ‘Cranial Devastation‘ which either by revised pieces or differing focus appears in strong contrast to the duo’s previous album but no doubt sitting with a piece like “Phantosmial Stench of Decay” won’t be alienating to existing fandom. The bands general rhythmic play on that specific piece offers a sauntering tarantella of fairly simple riffcraft and coughed-out vocals, a fine example of the band retaining their core idea while expanding the more edge-cased side of their ouevre.

If they’d stuck to those four songs alone I think ‘Cranial Devastation‘ might’ve been a nails-heavy return for Dead Void in 12″ EP form but the inclusion of a cover song + the shorter length of this album leaves something to be desired as a long-player. Closer “Jeg Kan Ikke Flygte Fra Mig Selv” is an interpretation of lesser known British post-punk band The Sound‘s “I Can’t Escape Myself” translated to Danish. Retaining part of the general chord progression and little else means the repetitious slug through the piece ends the experience on a dry note and doesn’t do the original much justice. It isn’t an album killer in any sense and many will appreciate the reference but it does leave the full listen lacking a bit at the finale.

Any fan of death/doom metal should appreciate the sonically dire and now even more harried press of Dead Void‘s return with ‘Cranial Devastation‘, this is a band on an unholy path that only becomes more idiosyncratic with each pass. Per my experience the short length of the record doesn’t bungle the impact of their sound in flux so much as limit its repeatable value, leaving it to land as a sort of addendum and evolutionary step taken at once. Though I was left wanting something more daring from the group overall on a second album this work admirably makes good on some of the ideas left back in their demo days while also presenting a viable path forward. A moderately high recommendation.

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