Band:	Entropia
Album:	Vacuum
Style:	Black metal, Post-metal
Release date:	September 28, 2018
Guest review by:	Sablast

01. Poison
02. Wisdom
03. Astral
04. Vacuum
05. Hollow
06. Endure

Having been slain by a Hell knight in Doom, feeling crushed, I exited the game in frustration. Being a masochist, I left wanting to continue that feeling. That's how I stumbled upon this album.

The sound and production are modernized, with every instrument and voice processed with effects. Guitar and bass mesh seamlessly to create a heavy low end, with riffs used mainly for atmosphere and support. Synths are a welcome companion on this record, being always translucent and light. Drums rarely take center stage compositionally, but are taking a lot of my attention due to high hi-hat and cymbal volume. Other drum pieces sound very punchy. Drum grooves are not versatile within sections, choosing to reinforce a hypnotic and psychedelic vibe, and sometimes enjoy a quirky change-up. Vocals come in sparingly to reveal a deep emptiness within, using hollow and desperate screams. I would have loved to hear guitar solos on this record.

It all comes together rather well; even when all parts are highly engaged, there's always space between instruments, a feeling of wideness. What surprised me is how well these musicians communicated a singular vision together, every part reinforcing the whole, but only on a level of a section. A section will be built and enhanced, and often that process takes too long, or the embellishments are fluff and insubstantial. And when fully realized, a song often continues regardless of what came before, only to repeat the same process again. On that level I found it unsatisfying. That formula produced few memorable moments. Overall I don't hate it and I will return to hear some parts again; "the rest is confetti".

Favorite track: "Endure".