Existential Void Guardian
Existential Void Guardian keeps Conan's force compact and direct. The guitars sound thick and abrasive, the voice pushes hard against them and the drums give the music considerable movement. This is a heavy record, but its best moments emerge when the band changes pace and pressure.
Prosper on the Path immediately establishes a firm wall. Beneath broad chords and feedback, the rhythm stays active. Brief drum accents and accelerations prevent the music from relying entirely on weight. Its construction feels more purposeful than the rough sound initially suggests.
Eye to Eye to Eye introduces more speed. The riff has strong drive before the music returns to heavier sections. That difference strengthens both sides. Paincantation works more briefly and fiercely still. The outburst interrupts the larger compositions and gives the record a restless accent.
Amidst the Infinite instead chooses slow, dense movement. Its guitars allow little light through, while the drums continue introducing small changes. Volt Thrower then demonstrates how effectively that rhythmic approach works within a more direct song. The riffs need little complexity when the band keeps them moving so convincingly.
The drawback becomes clear in the longer, slower passages. Not every repetition introduces enough tension, and towards the ending the music sometimes stays too close to the same ideas. The rough voice and continually thick sound also require adjustment. However, the strong drumming makes a considerable difference. Existential Void Guardian finds enough variety within its restricted means to become more than a heavy tone alone. Conan convinces most when that force gains a clear direction and the rhythms provide something beyond a steady march beneath the riffs.
