Free Metal Monday: Intervoid-Weaponized

Self-Release/Independent
2014

"Weaponized" is the full-length debut album from Ohio's Intervoid (https://www.facebook.com/Intervoid)
 Digitally released this past December, with the nearly 60 minute long (!) album available for download at the link below as a name-your-own-price deal, this extreme piece of studio savageness has now been released as a must-buy CD! Featuring the current line-up of vocalist/lyricist Ricky Lewis, lead and rhythm guitarist Sam Vang, bassist Jacob Marxen and drummer Johnny Zazo this (inexplicably!!!) unsigned band has been in existence since 2012 with their pulverizing sound reaching new heights as far as madness and terror are concerned on the buzz-worthy "Weaponized"! A mind-blowing mash-up of technical/progressive death metal, groove-infused industrial metal and blackened death thrash this Ohio four-piece are every bit as good live as they are on this twisted beast of a recording! Now, back in August of 2013  I covered the band's excellent debut EP, "Xenolith", but (blame it on getting older or there just being too much metal in the world to sort through and not enough time!) somehow I missed out on the Oct. 2014 Halloween split EP that Intervoid did with Despondent and Cunt Cuntly entitled "Jesus Christ How Horrifying". That being the case and all it isn't too late to hear that particular release or the group's debut offering by simply following links on Intervoid's bandcamp page right here: https://intervoid.bandcamp.com/album/weaponized As a final note if you live in Ohio and you have the chance then I would HIGHLY recommend catching this band live! Loud, heavy and full-tilt extreme doesn't even begin to describe this underrated Ohio act on the live stage and for those labels/PR folks who are listening in Intervoid are yet another killer Buckeye band who are primed and ready for the big time! Our scene continues to grow and it never fails to amaze me how much Ohio has to offer the heavy metal scene at large when it comes to the high-quality end of the spectrum! Maybe that's an article in and of itself that is better suited to another day, but Intervoid and "Weaponized", their first full-length release and a great pick-up for lovers of all things technical death metal and industrial death metal, are just two things from this great state of mine that are in need of a wider audience so it has to start somewhere....    
 
Coverage of "Xenolith" EP
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2013/08/intervoid-xenolith.html

Intervoid-Xenolith

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Intervoid, who hail from northeast Ohio, first came to my attention when I caught the tail end of one of their live performances. Given the line-up at said show, which included Cerulia, The Approach And The Execution and Erasing Never, this 4-piece band was more then able to hold their own as one of the evening's opening acts. My only complaint with their performance that night was the fact that I walked in too late to catch all of their set! The part that I did catch though was loud, pulverizing and downright brutal! Featuring the kind of  technical death metal that will never go out of style (or at least I hope not) the band's live sound also pulled in some progressive metal as well as some fringe elements of groove. The band even tore through a Coal Chamber cover as they tried to whip the still-growing crowd into a frenzy. To their credit they did try to wake the sleepy crowd up, but it seemed to remain rather quiet the whole night through. Anyways, after their bass player Matt Snyder ended up standing right next to me during The Approach And The Execution's set, and thus proving he had good tastes in music LOL, I decided to check this group out at a later date. All of that brings us to this 2-track EP which looks to be their latest release. By that I mean that this Ohio act has more then a few "single" releases to their name, but so far it does not look as if they've crossed the bridge into full-length release territory. If  I'm wrong then I'd hope that some one would correct me, but for the meantime we turn our attentions to this 2-track EP.  This short slice of  industrial death metal features the  brutalizing cuts "Xenolith" and "Godlike (8-Shit Remix)" with the later number quite obviously a re-mixed version of their single "Godlike" (which was originally released back on January 27th, 2013). Both tracks are quite nasty with some seriously twisted death growls coming straight from the mouth of lead singer Ricky Lewis! With Sam Vang providing the same kind of sick guitar work here on these two cuts as he did in a live setting and with the drum seat rightly filled by the heavy hitting Johnny Zazo (who appears to have been the last piece of this band's line-up puzzle) it's clear enough that all signs point towards potential success for this Ohio act. You might be asking though "What about Intervoid's actual sound?". What influences lie there lurking in the dark for this 4-piece, up and coming act? Well, a quick glance over at their Facebook page and you'll notice that Intervoid lists the likes of Fear Factory, Gojira, Nile, Testament, Devin Townsend, Strapping Young Lad, Godflesh, Behemoth, Carcass and Morbid Angel as influences. It's likely that you'll hear most of those influences if you back-track through the group's various recordings (all of which were self-produced by the band members themselves!) starting with this one of course or, better yet, if you catch this band in a live setting! That's where these kind of bands should be experienced. If seeing them live isn't a possibility though then at least take comfort in the fact that their hard-hitting music is available in a digital format. The group's bandcamp page can be found at the link below as well as their Facebook page. As always support local talent whenever possible whether you live here in Ohio or not. Underground bands like Intervoid are keeping the true spirit of metal alive so do what you can to support these types of bands and your scene.

http://intervoid.bandcamp.com/album/xenolith

https://www.facebook.com/Intervoid