Band:	Predatory Void
Album:	Seven Keys To The Discomfort Of Being
Style:	Doom metal, Post-metal, Blackened sludge metal
Release date:	April 21, 2023
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. Grovel
02. *(struggling..)
03. Endless Return To The Kingdom Of Sleep
04. Seeds Of Frustration
05. The Well Within
06. Shedding Weathered Skin
07. Funerary Vision

Most people think of atmospheric sludge as a term used to describe a calmer type of sludge metal. But what happens when that atmosphere consists of a ton of vitriol pouring down on you?

Predatory Void was formed, suddenly and without notice, one day in 2022. To my knowledge, they have never been presented as a supergroup but I must say that this Belgian band has a really strong pedigree. I have no doubts that fans of sludge and post-metal will immediately pay attention to the sight of bassist Tim De Gieter and guitarist Lennart Bossu from Amenra, with the latter also being one of the founders of Oathbreaker. The sounds from these bands can be heard in the music of Predatory Void. But there is a level of brutal aggression and corrosive hatred that clearly comes from another corner of the metal world. Of course, songwriting is a group effort, but I think there is an explanation to the violence I feel coming out of my speakers. While drummer Vincent Verstrepen is part of the death metal outfit Carnation, there is another key component that is even more intriguing: guitarist Thijs Decloedt was part of Aborted, performing on and taking part in the songwriting for some of Aborted’s best and most savage works like Engineering The Dead and Goremageddon.

As you can imagine, such a talented and varied set of musicians requires a frontperson who can match all these influences that have been thrown into the pot. Lina R from Cross Bringer is a perfect fit for the job. Her screams and howls of the blackened hardcore variety are unforgivingly intense and unrelenting. Her sharp, violent shrieks are well-balanced with the added growls of bassist Tim De Gieter, but Lina R can definitely stand on her own with her impressive range. Her clean vocals have an ethereal but hopeless touch to them. On the interlude “Seeds Of Frustration” her elegant, seductive, smoky-yet-soft voice will make you float in a sea of grey tears... only to be thrown into a maelstrom of despair as “The Well Within” follows. The way the aggressive, mellow, ominous, and dense parts all blend into each other speaks volumes of Predatory Void’s songwriting skills. The band nicely captures all the crucial elements of death, doom, sludge, and post-metal without truly staying in any particular camp. This mix reaches further complexity with the production that makes the riffs sound absolutely massive, and the drumming hits so hard to the point it gives off industrial vibes just by the sound alone.

Seven Keys To The Discomfort Of Being is an album that is hard to classify, which works in the band's favor as it has the potential to appeal to many different crowds. I can’t help but feel a bit bad for missing their Roadburn show last April. I can only imagine how this hauntingly dark and hateful record sounds like in a live setting. For now, blasting this at home will suffice as I patiently wait for what Predatory Void will accomplish in the future.

"You’ve come to listen
Unearth the truth
A weary seeker
Not knowing what to do"