A Void
Dissociation – Mold Culture Records
After a cursory listen to A Void’s latest album, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was released in 1992. Dissociation has a sound that captures the golden age of grunge; clunky, distorted riffs are counterpointed by throat-shredding vocals, and loud sections alternate with quiet. Lyrically too, it signposts a different age, with songs that detail alienation and social injustice. However, judge A Void as retro at your peril; there’s an unbridled energy that places them firmly in the present, and if you need proof just listen to the one-two punch of opening shots ‘Sad Events Reoccur’ and ‘Stepping On Sails’. Aided by an expansive production which highlights their musical dynamics, this London/Parisian trio create a sound that’s far bigger than their constituent parts. The guitars are razor sharp, the drums aggressive, and the bass is bold and twangy, all of which makes for an album that’s bursting at the seams with a dozen rock bangers, each song a hook baited with melody that will entice an earworm to burrow deep into your memory bank. Dancing to an unorthodox rhythm, closer ‘Sonic Untitled’ is both heavy and lithe and, indicative of the whole record, its swagger ensures A Void won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
Review by Peter Dennis