Desolus — Dwellers of the Twilight Void

Spinning Desolus' Dwellers of the Twilight Void without any knowledge of the band, one would think this is a reissue of a thirty-plus-year-old thrash album. However, this is the now four-piece's soon-to-be-released sophomore LP and follow-up to their acclaimed 2024 debut, System Shock. If one's old battle vest and bullet belt could form a band, there's a very good chance it would sound and look like Desolus. And while Dwellers of the Twilight Void may not break any new ground or end nuclear war, it's a fun thirty-six minutes of metal thrashing madness.

From note one, Dwellers of the Twilight Void is throwback glory, reveling in 80's/90's thrash, death, and culture. "The Portal" opens lovingly, if not somewhat wonkily, with a lo-fi, VHS-inspired intro, paying homage to the horror classics of the era. The segue into "Dweller of the Twilight Void" brings the listener through the maw and into the belly of the beast, thrashing from the get-go. Fast and furious, Desolus add touches of death metal to their attack, mixing the likes of early Sepultura, Bathory, Slayer, Morbid Angel, and Deicide (to my ears, at least). Frantic but contained, the band deftly pummels and shreds, making the most of their newly formed second guitar position. While the music is thrashing along, the vocals give Dwellers an element of chaos. Often harsh and raspy, the fast, barked delivery adds a hint of evil to the mix, and when the listener starts to feel comfortable, a falsetto scream pierces through the stringed onslaught. Somewhere between Tom Araya and King Diamond, it certainly helps Desolus stand out a bit from the pack. This is nice because overall, I feel that the mix is a little too tight and the vocals suffer the most from it. A little more room on each instrument would make it pop a bit, but it would also remove some of the "old school" vibe. All in all, it's an enjoyable thirty-six minutes.

Dwellers for the Twilight Void is a fun and fast bit of deathy thrash that is certainly worth checking out. It's carried more or less on its speed, and while everyone is a skilled player, the album feels like they were playing it safe. Their riffs are enjoyable, and the pacing is great, however, it sounds like an amalgamation of a dozen or so classic metal albums. With that, they're classics for a reason, so Desolus' familiar sound can be forgiven and enjoyed on its own, a headbanging tribute to its influences.