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One-man project from the planet Earth.

RELEASES

INTO THE BLUE 2017

REVIEWS

My encounter with Abstract Void's Into the Blue was the result of a random Bandcamp foray, but it's interesting. A roughly 70-30 split of synthwave and post-black metal, Into the Blue puts together melancholic synth tunes with black metal vocals and guitars, yielding an odd, retro-futuristic sound: The early 80s' vision of what we'd all be listening to someday, combined with a style we actually did end up hearing.

The songs all start off with pure synth, running to a bouncy mid-tempo 80s dance beat with lots of little keyboard arpeggios. As the song progresses, tremolo picking shows up and starts harmonizing with all the warm synths that get layered on, and the vocals start up. They're the weakest aspect of what the guy behind the band (this is a one-man project) is trying to do; with absolutely no power to them, they gasp and hiss behind the rest of the instruments, which are all mixed more prominently. But they blend into the overall sound quickly and the listener can then forget about them. The guitars, on the other hand, fare much better, though the constant emphasis on making the synthesizers sound as light and fluffy as possible means that the guitars don't get to lay down a lot of heavy chords to bring things down to earth. Abstract Void's mantra is clearly to get the synthwave part right first, then worry about everything else later.

Of course, this being a metal review site, it's hard to approve of that mentality; sure, the synth is nice, but couldn't he make this just a wee bit heavier? Nonetheless, some of the songs have more metal elements than others. An Euphoric Dream's tremolo harmonies with the 80s-style synth come off especially nicely, and It's Not the End also does well, providing some much-needed lows to counterbalance the highs.

Despite the packaging, the synthwave fans will probably like this more than the metal fans, but it's a sturdy, well-made little album that is good for a spin or two.

Reviewed by Andy

Review Summary: lacking in abstraction, void of dynamics

At its core, Into the Blue is a pretty cut-and-dry project: 80s style synthwave + black metal. Others have blended black metal with different kinds of electronics, but the way Abstract Void approaches the idea is rather unique; combining one of the darker, more sinister metal subgenres with a decidedly lighter and dancier brand of synth work is of course an admirable endeavor. Unfortunately, regarding Into the Blue, surface level is where the intrigue ends.

It could be that the musician behind Abstract Void would say their influence comes more from 'post-black metal' than the standard ilk, or it could just be that both the songwriting and execution are thoughtless and transparent enough to recreate 'black metal' on only the thinnest aesthetic level. I lean more towards the latter. But even if this was specifically branded as a 'post-black metal' release, that still does not excuse its tragic blandness.

The production is remarkably adequate; it sounds just as bright and full of exuberance as a work using synths for a 'wow' effect should. But every song is the exact same slog. There are no peaks and valleys we recall from the most powerful black metal performances, only the same tepid post-rock strum-alongs, and not even the good, early Explosions in the Sky-type, more like the gratingly obvious This Will Destroy You-type. Rarely do the guitars engage in any kind of memorable lead, let alone tremolo picking. They're content in droning huge simple chords in the background pretty much the whole time. 

This is where the edge inherent in black metal would come in handy. There might be a trait that could cut through the droning and provide some needed texture. But Into the Bluedoesn't even deliver there. The vocals are far away enough in the mix, and delivered accessibly enough (that is, not a lot of rasp, not a lot of shriek) to remain a blissfully inoffensive part of the whole; a casually hovering kvlt factor. And not to get too nerdy, but jeez, the only discernible blast beat is in the beginning of the inexplicably titled 'An Euphoric Dream,' and it's not even a real one. 

But there is a lot more to be explored here. There's a couple breaks where the guitars pull away to reveal the electronic interactions; underlying pads accented by breezy, cheery house-type kicks. Incidentally, these are by far the most interesting moments on the album, as they reveal the true space within the songs, as opposed to the 'black metal' segments that simply keep escalating their contrived intensity (relying heavily on the double-kick, of course). But in the end, they are only 'breaks,' and in the end, Into the Blue takes you just there: a place you've probably been a thousand times.

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