ALBUM REVIEW: Voices Beneath The Rubble – Drift Into Black

Returning with their fifth album and follow-up to 2022’s Earthtorn, New Jersey trio DRIFT INTO BLACK have delivered a deeply rich and emotive conceptual record in Voices Beneath The Rubble. With inspiration drawn from some of doom metal’s heaviest hitters – think CANDLEMASS and PARADISE LOST – married to a progressive, gothic edge, DRIFT INTO BLACK have concocted an engaging sound to ensnare and beguile.

Like a doom-laced clarion call, The Horns Of Despair ushers in a sense of both foreboding and deep melodic intrigue. Taking things up to a grander notch, In Turmoil introduces the listener to layered vocal harmonies and soaring melodies. There’s an undercurrent of sample pads rounding out the texture, however the most captivating element is the rich guitar tone which generates the hooks. The vocal lines cut through the top end and emphasise the emotive weight that DRIFT INTO BLACK are seeking to attain.

As a band they’re obviously quite at home with the sweeping melancholic soundscapes and are happy to supply quality melodies to enrapture and push this idea. However, the trio are equally competent when it comes to generating a heavier, more rhythm-driven track. With great presence, The Great Machine delivers a rousing riff and rhythm powerhouse. There’s an aggression contained within the music that is heightened by what has gone before. While there is an abrasive edge to be found, the mix and production still seeks to provide a smoothed off edge, indicating that while DRIFT INTO BLACK are capable of letting loose, they choose to add a refined edge. Effective in highlighting their heavyweight power, it is also a slight hindrance as it restricts them from taking full flight and delivering some crushing doom.

After the intensity that marks out The Great Machine, the title track appears to dial things back as a serene folk-like beginning gives way to a solid mid-tempo doomy number. The use of synth pads helps drive the dynamic swells and piques the interest in the melodic delivery. Like many albums of this nature, one of the standout moments is reserved for the final curtain. December delivers sublime guitar work from start to finish. Coupled with gorgeous vocal harmonies, it’s a track that hits the mark in terms of progressive doom, the type of track that marks an album out as special, and one that will certainly bring DRIFT INTO BLACK to wider attention.

It’s testament to the songwriting and musicianship of the band that a trio can generate such a rich and all-encompassing sound as that which is displayed here. The texture at no point loses its footing and the elements and techniques of melodic doom are executed to perfection. There is a splendid cohesion running throughout, uniting the conceptual soundscape and matching the themes. The mix delivers on all fronts, helping to accentuate the moments of reflection offered by the more introspective lyrics, while also working equally as successfully to deliver the crashing crescendos and moments of standout grandeur.

Majestic melodic melancholy rules the day in Voices Beneath The Rubble. The delivery is both crisp in its clarity and bountiful in its layers, and DRIFT INTO BLACK have clearly understood their genre as well as their craft and have set about producing an album that offers a truly engaging impression. While some may be turned away by the conceptual ideals and the inclusion of synth pads within certain melody leads, there remains an absolute wealth of enjoyment on Voices Beneath The Rubble that will resonate with many.

Rating: 8/10

Voices Beneath The Rubble is out now via Black Lion Records

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