Reviews

EP Review | "WILL I DREAM" - Annex Void

The Metalverse

Apr 5, 2024 — 3 min read

Spotify Cover - Annex Void

Tracks

Beginnings Discoveries
Past Future Illusion
All These Worlds
Will I Dream
Everything All At Once
Ripples

Review

Detroit, Michigan Progressive Metal act, Annex Void, released their debut EP, "WILL I DREAM" on April 4th. The 27-minute EP starts with "Beginnings Discoveries", an ambient intro track filled with gentle bass, atmospheric pads, distant synths, and reverbed talking samples, creating a distinct vibe.

Transitioning seamlessly into the second track "Past Future Illusion" which starts with clean acoustic guitar, building drums, and an overall progressive acoustic instrumental atmosphere. The song effortlessly shifts into explosive guitar chugging, violent growls, and djenty instrumental riffage, creating a powerful sense of contrast between melodic instrumental sections and brutally heavy metal sections. Annex Void introduces hauntingly catchy singing, adding yet another element to the track to keep it interesting and highly varied. Clocking in at just under 4 minutes, "Past Future Illusion" ends with a fierce breakdown that ends on the track in an impactful finale.

"All These Words" begins with the ambient pads from the EP's intro before bursting into technical guitar riffage and crashing cymbals. Gentle singing works alongside deeply complex acoustic atmospheres and distant distorted guitars to create a fresh soundscape that is filled with powerful vibe-worthy instrumentals. Annex Void excellently balances progressive metal, extreme metal, and even classical/jazz influences into a melodic yet undeniably heavy mix of music.

The title track, "Will I Dream" starts with chiming synth tones and an industrial ambience that soon introduces energetic electronic beats. At just under 2 minutes of runtime, "Will I Dream" acts as an interlude with psychedelic yet slightly ominous undertones.

"Everything All At Once" starts dramatically, introducing itself with dark and intense guitar riffage. Continuing the chiming pad tones from "Will I Dream", Annex Void masterfully blends ambient tones between songs, transitioning powerful atmospheres from one track to another. With multiple vocal tracks, "Everything All At Once" creates choir effects alongside powerful singing, creating a hectic yet refined sound. With complex soundscapes and a masterfully crafted scope of sound, Annex Void keeps a fresh and intense sound. A soaring guitar solo featuring impressively technical shredding layers over top of ferocious guitar chugging and bends before fading out with the EP's distinct pads.

The final track of the EP, "Ripples" starts with heavy-hitting syncopated guitar riffs and harmonic singing before switching into jazz-infused progressive instrumental licks. With dynamic changes between intense extreme metal sections and electrifying progressive compositions, Annex Void creates a powerful sense of juxtaposition through their use of varying genres and highly different sounds. After a lengthy silence, "Ripples" fades back in with ambient pads and ethereal synths before introducing technical drumming and arcade-like synth tones. The outro slowly fades away, closing out the EP in a strong fashion.

Overall, Annex Void creates an attractive fusion of genres like metalcore, djent, progressive metal, and jazz, creating a unique sound that fans of any of those genres will certainly enjoy. You can stream Annex Void's debut EP "WILL I DREAM" out everywhere now!

The Concept

“Will I Dream” is a debut concept album by Annex Void, distinguished by its multifaceted essence, designed to be savored from beginning to end. It explores the theme of human progress and the decisions we face, delving into the eerie truths of knowledge, its accompanying wisdom and terror, and the constructs we conceive and navigate within these mysteries.

Ultimately, “Will I Dream” prompts contemplation on whether, once everything else fades away and our entire existence is laid bare, will we dream? It poses the profound question that lingers long after life’s journey ends. - Annex Void