Voices – London

I’m not sure how or why this release flew under the radar at the end of 2014, but if it hadn’t, it would have made my top albums of 2014 list. I was already impressed after hearing their first release in 2013, From the Human Forest Create a Fuge of Imaginary Rain. It sounded like the 3 previous members of Akercocke (David Gray, Sam Loynes & Peter Benjamin) took over where Akercocke left off, incorporating progressive elements within their savage brand of blackened death metal.

Voices’ newest album,London, definitely raises the bar in every way. From the superb musicianship to the sonic achievement of the production, London is an album to gawk over. It’s odd, at times they can sound as heavy and punishing as the next technically proficient death metal band, but they also incorporate beautiful passages often laced with an inspired vocal delivery. The closest comparison I can come up with is Ihsahn’s solo work of the last 9 years. While reminiscent of the Norwegian black master in that Voices deliver just as diverse an offering, it can not be written off as an imitation or Ihsahn clone. While Voices are superb at creating unique and lush atmosphere, they also provide a brutality or heaviness that is lacking from Ihsahn. Voices have also proven they are professionals in combining heaving earth heaviness with alluring movement.

It is very hard to put a finger on this album, let alone this exquisite band. Like a breath-taking experience that is hard to put words into, Voices’ London is equally as hard to describe. You would be daft to ignore this album or not give it the attention it deserves. It is definitely an album of motion that needs to be allowed to ebb and flow through it’s entirety like a river emptying into the mouth of an ocean.

London is one of the most diverse albums in the genre to date, and it nice to hear so many styles coming together seemingly effortlessly as to create their own Voice (pun intended!)

Score: 9 out of 10