TORRENTS OF DEVASTATION

Eternity Void is a pretty unknown young act from New Jersey and this fact will most probably remain as such since the band ceased to exist only a few month after the release of their first studio release Torrents Of Devastation.

Evan Pontell-Schaefer is the mastermind behind this and other music projects from the Jersey area. Some sources credit him as Evan Void, which is likely a pseudonym that he acquired while working on the project in question. The ever-changing lineup, where Evan's guitar and vocals where the only stable factors, indicates that Eternity Void never really had a fair chance of taking off. With a total of eight different members passing through, over the course of less than three years, this band could almost be considered a one-off release from a few friends. Luckily the music says otherwise!

The material offered on this short, almost undeservingly titled full length release, can't really be considered new or very original but, let's be honest, how many debuts are? The album-opening, Opeth-inspired title, Night Will Drape Over Our Souls starts with a very menacing Black Metallish approach that literally kicks you in the gut. Fortunately, this is a highly effective kick since it prepares the listener for any twist and turns that follows throughout the rest of this half hour short journey.

The overall performance from the band is actually pretty good, all things considering, and it's not until the ending section of track number two that we begin to see Eternity Void's Achilles' heel. Namely, the band is unable to keep the groove and atmosphere going for the time that would require them to be considered interesting enough for me. There's just too much routine stuff that keeps these compositions from really taking off and the best tracks are the ones that fade out and leave the best moments to my imagination, just like Night Will Drape Over Our Souls and The Beginning Of The Storm.

Torrents Of Devastation is not an album that I would recommend to everyone. I doubt that even most Prog Metal fans will find it all that exciting. Still, I definitely feel that Eternity Void could have had a bright future ahead of them if only they continued developing their style and not quit before establishing anything worth a while.

***** star songs: Night Will Drape Over Our Souls (4:09)

**** star songs: Prayer For The Living (6:49) The Beginning Of The Storm (5:07) Tasting The Acrid Flame (6:07) Undying Frosts Of Hopelessness (2:13)

*** star songs: Roses (7:07)