Emptiness - Error (2012)

Belgium's Emptiness are certainly not a band to repeat themselves from one album to the next. The stylistic shifts from their debut to what little I've heard from their upcoming fourth album are insane. Though I'm not a big fan of the style and sound of what was going on on their second album, 'Oblivion', I would have to say that their weakest album overall was their debut, 'Guilty to Exist'. The songwriting isn't so much the problem as is the production, which really makes listening to a band like this rather agonizing considering the talent and skill on display. It's like taking a classic painting and slathering it in mud. Of course there are those who actually like that sort of thing but I am certainly not among them.

Album number two is my least favorite. I'm not a fan of artsy-fartsy technical blackened "forward thinking" death metal. No thanks. I can appreciate the level of talent involved but that's it. After a quick nod of acknowledgement, I'm out. For me, Emptiness truly began to cook with the release of their third LP, 'Error'. By this time the band had finalized their grasp on the atmospheric and spiritually emotive aspect of their creative onslaught whilst pressing onward with the unique quirkiness that they had initially employed on their debut. I should also note that this album has a very "blasphemous" feel to it. Though there is almost something sort of "sci-fi" and almost even, dare I say... "laid back" about this release, I feel safe to say that it sits comfortably alongside the likes of Coffin Texts, Immolation and others of their dark ilk. The vocals also favor a slight similarity to Craig Pillard which only further darkens the festivities at hand.

This is definitely an album that gets a fair amount of replay and one that has caused me to anticipate their forthcoming LP with a great deal of enthusiasm.