Band:	Votum
Album:	:Ktonik:
Style:	Progressive metal
Release date:	February 26, 2016
A review by:	LeKiwi

01. Satellite
02. Greed
03. Spiral
04. Blackened Tree
05. Simulacra
06. Prometheus
07. Horizontal
08. Vertical
09. Last Word

Observing the path of a band's musical growth can be a trying experience, with the truly rewarding moment arriving when they approach the crux of their development. Moments hinting at their full potential are often both fleeting and sparsely scattered, growing increasingly frequent and convincing with each release. Generally speaking, there is a point in every band's discography that one can point to and say, "that's where it happened," a point which arrives after a consequence of steady improvements between releases. As such, Votum's sudden and unexpected maturation came as a welcome surprise. The embodiment of this immense growth and the realisation of the band's potential is their fourth studio release, titled :Ktonik:.

This release primarily features no-fluff progressive metal that draws heavily on post-metal elements, resulting in emotive passages regularly interspaced by groove-oriented instrumentation in odd time signatures. Votum have always written relatively accessible albums, and :Ktonik: is no exception. Structurally, the music isn't particularly challenging, with a single listen sufficient to digest the material. What does impress me, however, is that the album and the songs alike have a veritably organic flow that deviates from your usual fare of modern prog. The songwriting takes on a very natural cadence: key-driven ambient passages swell into multi-layered, moving performances glazed with tasteful leads and impassioned vocals before dwindling once more into a state of calm. The crisp wall-of-sound production finely complements these undulations and is certainly one of the highlights of the album.

Having been familiar with the band's previous work, I was struck by two changes to their sound in particular. Firstly, the vocals are of an entirely different calibre and, as it turns out, freshly-recruited Bartosz Sobieraj has taken over those duties. Equally capable of smooth cleans and grit-laden cries, his multifaceted, mid-range performance proves a perfect fit for the band's newly augmented style. He also takes his place as one of three guitarists, which brings me to the other change in their sound. Perhaps as a result of the two newly-appointed guitarists, :Ktonik: is far more dynamic - a welcome change after their more one-dimensional work preceding this release. The music also leans towards melodies and vibes of the melancholic sort, further enhanced by Bartosz's vocals.

With :Ktonik:, Votum has truly blossomed into a unique and mature stylistic identity. The synergy of this new line-up is one to be reckoned with, crafting impressively well-knit songs that take on dense post-metal, groovy prog, and keyboard-laden atmospheres. Any fan of brooding progressive metal or reigned-in post-metal would find themselves right at home with this album. Votum will, without a doubt, take their newfound inspiration and passion to greater heights, and when they do, I will be there.

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