DEVOID – Lonely Eye Movement
- Posted on 22-11-2021
The French outfit Devoid immediately caught my interest the very first time I listened to the album title track, which is the first tune on the disc, from this sophomore effort of theirs. Although these guys’ musical style appears to be rooted in (and highly influenced by) progressive metal, it is surprisingly catchy and accessible. Do not get me wrong, there are numerous twists and clever turns throughout, but the huge number of strong melodies, meaty riffs, and great vocal hooks add an instantly appealing quality to the songs. In other words, "Lonely Eye Movement" is forward-thinking and slightly complex now and again but always memorable and easy on the ear to some extent. The arrangements are impressively structured and interesting front to back, and the piece entitled "Martial Hearts" is a superb example of what Devoid are all about as is the epic "Destination Heaven". Other highlights include the riveting "In the Absence of Holiness", which possesses a beautiful blow, and the aggressive "Stroboscope Life". The vocals sound excellent on top of those massive riffs and the album is heavy yet varied. In some ways, it recalls the later works of both Queensryche and Geoff Tate without sounding like a copy of either of those and Devoid’s material strikes a good balance between the sophisticated and the thunderous with plenty of subtle details and nuances in between it all.
Rich in melody, texture, and depth, this well-composed opus is a dynamic and modern-sounding prog metal record that you ought to check out, and although it might not be the boldest and most musically adventurous output of the year, it is without doubt a classy slab of experimental and atmospheric metal.