Album Review: Vessel of Iniquity – Void of Infinite Horror (Xenoglossy Productions/Sentient Ruin Laboratories)

Ritual black/death invocation. Terror noise-metal aimed at disintegrating one’s being and entire existence through the sheer force of hell in audial form. British one-man sonic extermination entity Vessel of Iniquity returns with its harrowing sophomore LP. Entitled ‘Void of Infinite Horror’, the album is out January 21st 2019 via Xenoglossy Productions and Sentient Ruin Laboratories.

Creating an intense horror show of blackened death metal, Vessel of Iniquity throw all kinds of noise our way across five tracks. It’s a showcase of some of the most mind-bloodying metal you’re likely to hear all year. Even it’s not always forced down throats in the way Invocation of the Heart Girt With a Serpent does at the start.

That opener will have even the most ‘kvlt’ of fans putting their hands up and saying “steady on, fellas”.

Babalon takes a slightly different approach. In that it’s more based in darkness and initially moves at a slower pace, although it begins to pick up near the end. The same style of horrific effects found in those already described are heavily present in Void of Infinite Sorrow. The harshness of the cold sound is pushed to breaking point here but it’s the most appealing track heard so far.

Ultimately though, as darkness-covered as the EP is, there isn’t that much in the way of interesting in the end results overall. Freshness isn’t what’s on offer here, instead we get the fetid corpse of a sub-genre that has been in the sun for far too long. Still fascinating but the smell is beginning to make your eyes water.

Once More Into the Abyss wraps things up with a track seemingly designed to leave a uncomfortable feeling. Something it accomplishes easily. If you want hell personified on musical form then Void of Infinite Horror might just be right for you.

Vessel of Iniquity – Void of Infinite Horror Full Track Listing:

1. Invocation of the Heart Girt With a Serpent
2. Babalon
3. Void of Infinite Sorrow
4. Mother of Abomination
5. Once More Into the Abyss

You can order the album digitally, on cassette and vinyl via Xenoglossy Productions here and Sentient Ruin Laboratories here.