AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): DEVOID OF THOUGHT – “DEVOID OF THOUGHT”

 Premieres  No Responses »
Apr 212026
 

(Andy Synn has his own thoughts about an album which is far from devoid of them)

I wasn’t supposed to be writing this article.

I’m serious… it wasn’t until yesterday when I name-checked this Italian Death Metal battalion in another review that Islander slid into my DMs to inform me that we had this premiere scheduled (which gives you some insight into the well-polished and highly-professional outfit we’re running here) and to ask whether I’d like to take a run at writing the accompanying review.

Luckily he caught me in the mood for even more weird, mind-warping Metal… which is exactly what Devoid of Thought have delivered on their long-gestating, highly-anticipated, self-titled second album.

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AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE: DEVOID OF THOUGHT — “OUTER WORLD GRAVES”

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Aug 262021
 

 

With the kind of genius planning and execution that built the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the “Iron Dam” in Zhumadian, China, and the tower in Pisa that subsequently leaned, we published our review of Devoid of Thought‘s new album yesterday, 24 hours before premiering a complete album stream today.

But truth be told, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A multiplicity of writings, even so closely juxtaposed, may catch more eyes and ears — and this album definitely deserves more eyes and ears. As yesterday’s reviewer Mr. Synn proclaimed:

“Outer World Graves is definitely a big step up from the band’s previous material, dealing in a blend of slithering muscle and otherworldly menace reminiscent of bands like Blood Incantation, Mithras, and Zealotry… a sort of ‘post-Demilich, post-Deeds of Flesh‘ approach that marries punchy, predatory riffs, gruesome, gut-churning grooves, and tormented technicality to an eerie, unsettling atmosphere of proto-cosmic dread”. Continue reading »

FOR THE LOVE OF DEATH – DEVOID OF THOUGHT / GOSUDAR / TYPHONIAN

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
Aug 252021
 

(Andy Synn would like to remind you all that only Death (Metal) is real)

I was doing an interview recently where I was asked “what makes a good Death Metal band?”

And, you know, for a moment I was stumped.

You see, they weren’t just asking about tuning, or tempo. Nothing so prosaic as that. They wanted something fundamental, something that transcended styles and sub-genres, something beyond technicality or brutality or melody.

But, eventually… it hit me.

It’s not about how fast you can blast, how low you can go, how huge you can groove… it’s all about love.

You heard me right. Underneath it all Death Metal is driven by love. Specifically the love of Death Metal.

And it’s the ability to convey and communicate that love, no matter what forms it takes, how technical or brutal, how melodic or symphonic, how dissonant or discordant or slam-tastic, which makes – or breaks – a band.

So let it be written, and let it be known… these three bands really love Death Metal.

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AN NCS PREMIERE: DEVOID OF THOUGHT — “SIDEREAL NECROSIS”

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Jul 082021
 

 

After releasing a pair of demos and a trio of splits, the time has at last arrived for the Italian death metal band Devoid of Thought to present a debut album — and it doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that it will give this band the kind of rapt attention that the music so richly deserves.

The fact that it’s being jointly released by such connoisseurs of metallic extremity as Everlasting Spew Records and Caligari Records is a dependable sign of the album’s quality, and the mind-blowing songs on Outer World Graves bear out their good judgment.

And speaking of seizing attention, the album’s cover art by View From the Coffin is guaranteed to do that — as will the track we’re premiering today in the lead-up to the release of Outer World Graves on August 27th. Continue reading »

AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): DEVOID OF THOUGHT — “COSMIC APOPTOSIS”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  No Responses »
Apr 182019
 

 

In October 2017 we premiered a demo named Astral Necrosis by the Italian band Devoid of Thought, whose name I thought would also describe the mental state of listeners exposed to the demo’s three tracks. The music was a whipsawing amalgam of death metal and thrash, with the kind of blazing instrumental performances and brain-spinning intricacy that might lead one to slap a “progressive” label on the ingredients as well — except the music seemed too maniacal and vicious for that word. It was insanely good, and also just insane.

Now Devoid of Thought are returning with a new EP, which proves to be just as severely destabilizing and perhaps even more ghoulishly fascinating than Astral Necrosis. Entitled Cosmic Apoptosis, it will be released on April 19th — tomorrow! — by Caligari Records, but we’ve got a full stream for you today. For those who’ve encountered  the earlier demo, you’ll have a decent idea of what’s coming. The following paragraphs are for everyone else — because it would just be cruel to expose newcomers to these three tracks without some kind of warning. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: DEVOID OF THOUGHT, SLAVES BC, EXCRUCIATION, AMBER TEARS

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Mar 272019
 

 

I wasn’t sure I would have a time for a round-up this week, given the continuing press of my day job, but I did manage to pull this one together based on some late-night listening over the last couple of evenings. If I stay up late enough and wake up early enough, I find that I’m still able to squeeze in something like this, despite having a lot fewer daylight hours to call my own. Here we go:

DEVOID OF THOUGHT

In October 2017 we premiered a demo named Astral Necrosis by the Italian band Devoid of Thought, whose name I thought would also describe the mental state of listeners exposed to the demo’s three tracks. The music was a whipsawing amalgam of death metal and thrash, with the kind of fireball instrumental performances and brain-spinning intricacy that might lead one to slap a “progressive” label on the ingredients as well — except the music seemed too maniacal and vicious for that word. It was insanely good, and also just insane. Continue reading »

AN NCS DEMO PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): DEVOID OF THOUGHT — “ASTRAL NECROSIS”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  4 Responses »
Oct 202017
 

 

If you don’t have access to a supplemental oxygen canister, you might want to hyperventilate before listening to this demo we’re about to serve up. Having eye-drops nearby would also be a good idea, so your orbits don’t dry out when they pop open and stay that way. A bib might be advisable, too, unless you don’t mind drooling on your shirt. I’m just trying to be helpful. You might thank me later.

The name of the demo is Astral Necrosis, and it’s the first release by the stunning Italian band Devoid of Thought, whose name could also describe the mental state of listeners exposed to the demo’s three tracks. If any coherent thoughts remain after listening, they’re likely to be along the lines of, “Holy shit, what did I just hear?!?”

Astral Necrosis will be released by Caligari Records on October 21, and we’re damned fortunate to introduce you to a full stream of the music right now. Continue reading »