Album Review: Voices – Breaking The Trauma Bond (Church Road Records)

Returning after a three year absence following the release of 2018’s ‘Frightened’, Voices bring their signature avant-garde come extreme metal sound into a new dimension with their brand new album “Breaking The Trauma Bond”. Made up of 16 tracks and clocking in at 68 minutes “Breaking The Trauma Bond” proves to be perhaps the bands most ambitious release to date. It will be released on November 26th, 2021 via Church Road Records.

A huge release. Not just in length (although the near 70 minute run-time can’t be ignored) but in imagination and scope. Voices have a lot to express with this new album and to call it ambitious is to underplay the enormity of what is offered here.

An album that isn’t conceptual but does have an overall theme surrounding mental health, looking both inward and outward, the fracture of the mind, body and soul. It’s strong stuff and the avant-garde, blackened post metal unit express their myriad of thoughts in a powerfully succinct way. Which might seem odd when you consider it’s 16 tracks long.

The feeling that spreads through you when you realise that not a single track could be cut is fantastic. The growing realisation that Voices have aimed high and find themselves soaring now.

A massive part of the appeal with Breaking the Trauma Bond and Voices overall comes from the non-traditional and non-conformist style of music. At times, as harsh and cold as any black metal you’ve ever heard. At others, cinematic, and at others, post-layered with traditional metal and punk-infusions. Baffling? It can be, but such is the nature of Voices’ imagination, it never confuses to the point of disliking what is being heard.

Instead, it’s just makes you want to keep listening on and on. Moreish. Especially as the unique build and structure of the album continues to challenge even when you’re 8 tracks deep and only at the halfway point.

One hell of an accomplishment, Breaking the Trauma Bond is Voices biggest moment of their career. Something that is reflected in the amount of effort they put into ensuring every single thing is perfect here. Track after track to make you feel something. The darkness exasperated by clever effects, depressive post segments and meaningful tempo shifts, but the blazing blackened metal offers some warmth. Even if it is a fiery and hellish inferno, you’ll be glad for it.

With an album this huge and impactful, it’s hard to pick out specific tracks but if you want just a few to check out then we recommend these.

The title track is very special, with a drum & bass style intro backed up by gothic keys, that then erupts into black metal horror. Back and forth it goes, getting stranger and stranger. Creating a soundscapes that feels so uneasy but so addictive.

Then you have something like Methods of Madness and its otherworldly intro melody. Something that is quickly joining by building guitars before exploding into an off-kilter heavy metal rhythm and clean vocals. Of course this is Voices so that’s far from the only tone shift and this is a track that gets more and more intense. Absolute madness indeed.

Or how about the catchy wonder and absolute desperation that drips from the finale Photographs of A Storm Passing? A track that has to be heard to be believed. In fact, the whole album has to be heard. It’s a gargantuan task and you’ll feel it afterwards but you’ll be so glad you did.

Voices – Breaking the Trauma Bond Full Track Listing:

1. A Field Without Crows
2. Breaking the Trauma Bond
3. An Audience of Mannequins
4. Lilacs in-between
5. Ghost City
6. Petrograph
7. Methods of Madness
8. Running Away
9. Absent Equilibrium
10. Beckoning Shadows
11. My Sick Mind
12. Whispers
13. The Widower
14. Kaleidoscope of Thorns
15. She Speaks To Him in a Dream
16. Photographs of A Storm Passing

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Church Road Records