Metal Underground.com

It’s always a pleasure to be surprised by the quality of both the recording and musicianship of an unknown metal band, which can be a rare occurrence. In a sea of basement recordings and rehashes of everything that’s been done before, it’s not often that an underground act puts out something both original and truly on par with the big names. Eternal Void’s “One of Us” EP is one such port in the storm, blending a variety of styles in a way that is sonically unique and yet familiar enough to have appeal for fans of just about any variation of metal.

“One of Us” isn’t directly a death metal release, nor is it completely thrash or groove or anything else, but it has sounds that come from all those styles and even a touch of the ‘core. The vocal style is harsh and somewhat guttural, but a good portion of the lyrics come through clearly without having to strain to hear anything. In many ways the vocals bring to mind those from Lamb of God, and fans of that band will be right at home here. The lyrics are topically relevant and tent to deal with modern day real world issues, such as the "The 99" covering the "Occupy Wallstreet" movement.

“One of Us” is filled with rapid fire, machine gun drums and riffs straight from the get-go with opener "Eyes of the World" onward, but the songs aren’t without an underlying melody that keeps everything accessible. There’s a good deal going on in the background as well besides the obvious headbanging flow, so there’s reason to listen through many times. The bass isn’t massively prominent, but it is definitely displayed more than many bands in this style and changes up the dynamic of the overall sound, such as the sudden bout of bass noodling in "The Art of our Demise." This strong mix of the extreme and the accessible seems like a no-brainer for a record deal and tour, so it’s a shame Eternal Void hasn’t managed to make big waves nationally yet.

Across a mere four tracks Eternal Void showcases a unique sound combining the best of many modern metal styles, and should be heard by metalheads who love everything from death metal to metalcore or even thrash.