Intronaut

Void

Goodfellow Records 2006

This is the second album from all-star cast of California's Intronaut.  For those unfamiliar with Intronaut, musically they are an epic blending of artistic death metal and calming beauty.  Some of these "calming" passages are evocative of the pain of longing on a sunny summer afternoon like for instance the waning moments of opener A Monolithic Vulgarity.  Intronaut are not afraid to open up a pummeling can of whoop ass such as the opening moments of Gleamer.  I think Fault Lines is perhaps my favorite track with its Voivod inspired stop and start riffing that that collapses into some warbling metallic plodding underpinned by a militaristic drumming buildup.  As a matter of fact besides those heavy as hell monolithic riffs there seems to be a lot of Voivod-esque guitar screeching riffs.  The production on Void is more akin to something from the post-Hardcore or Metal core scene with thin and dry guitars that strive for an emotional connection rather than the bludgeoning heaviness of most death metal bands.  Listening to bassist Joe Lester's jazzy meanderings is a definite highlight for me.  Nostalgic Echo showcases his talent the best with its constant sorrowful sessions where the production accentuates that "poppy" bass style he utilizes.  Although Intronaut are musically aligned with the death metal community there are certain elements within their music that I think will greatly appeal to the sections of the Hardcore scene that enjoy Skycamefalling, Morning Again, and early Remembering Never.  I can't exactly place my finger on why I feel that way but that parallel is certainly there for me.  Anyways, that's a bit of a tangent there but needless to say that in Void, Intronaut has woven sonically varied styles into a beautifully inspiring tapestry that is both engaging and compelling.