Released by: Candlelight/Spinefarm

Release Date: April 27th, 2018

Genre: Metal

Links: https://www.facebook.com/voiceslondon/

Line Up:

Dan Abela – bass
David Gray – drums
Sam Loynes – guitars
Peter Benjamin – guitars, vocals

Tracklist:

01. Unknown
02. Rabbits Curse
03. Evaporated
04. IWSYA
05. Dead Feelings
06. Manipulator
07. Funeral Day
08. Fascinator
09. Home Movies
10. Sequences
11. Footsteps

If I’ve said it before, allow me a moment of repetition: I’m always open to trying out new stuff musically. I have such eclectic tastes and with so many bands, and so many styles it’s virtually impossible to listen to them all. Hell, I have a tough enough time keeping up with the music from bands I do know let alone new stuff. Of course, I get inundated with bands to check out from friends and of course The Boss here at MGM. I wish I could write about every band I hear that I enjoy, but even as prolific a reviewer as I was during my prime, in my semi-pseudo retirement it’s even tougher. I was given the task of putting down some words about London band Voices and my feelings about their 3rd album Frightened (not only did I not know they had three albums, I never heard of them.) I learned that they were formed when the band Akercocke broke up, and I was only familiar with them in passing, I so I figured I’d give it a spin.

It’s pretty well documented that I enjoy Progressive music quite a lot (sometimes the weirder the more I enjoy it… hence my love of Zappa.) Voices is a unique band. Their kind of a modern mish-mash of Celtic Frost meets Voivod meets Katatonia as interpreted by Black Metal musicians attempting to not play true Black Metal. I have to say I really enjoyed it. It’s a complicated album full of lush passages, intense riffs, off-kilter time signatures and an almost performance art approach to music. It’s very dramatic and cinematic. Vocalist/Guitarist Peter Benjamin switches from plaintiff wail to droning and dark vocally, creating a dynamic juxtaposition between the driving music that sometimes is reminiscent of 80’s Alternative music with pop preciseness and catchy licks. Frightened really is kind of an emotional roller coaster.

I’m glad I got the chance to check these guys out. I’m not sure that it is something I would want to spin on a regular basis, due mostly to the complexity of the sound. Frightened is an album that needs to be experienced fully without a lot of distractions going on. I’m certainly interested in checking them out more and possibly checking out more Akercocke (Black Metal is not my favorite of the Metals.) If you like your music dark, bleak, and a bit off the beaten path, I would suggest checking out the band Voices and their latest offering Frightened.