The Crawl

Critically acclaimed Death Metal force TEMPLE OF VOID return with their new album, The Crawl.The caveman brawn of previous albums, namely Summoning the Slayer (2022), remains, but there’s a wider dynamic on the group’s fifth full-length album at play. Now a quartet—featuring guitarist Alex Awn, drummer Jason Pearce, vocalist/guitarist Mike Erdody, and bassist Justin Malek—the Michiganders aren’t shying away from their non-metal influences, seeking greater integration of grunge and post-punk with their brutish signature. Singles “The Crawl” and “Soulburn” demonstrate the proficiency of TEMPLE OF VOID's death-cloaked, spearheaded attack. From the high intensity of opener “Poison Icon” to the granite wall of “The Twin Stranger,” The Crawl isn’t just TEMPLE OF VOID evolved, it’s a harbinger of death metal to come.“The biggest shift for me on this record was not feeling like we had to fly the ‘death-doom banner’ as part of our identity,” says Alex Awn. “Death-doom, as a genre, gave us something to anchor our sound around when we started. It was always a reference and touchstone. At the same time, we always wanted to make sure we had our own spin on it. We’ve always been adding to the conversation, adding to the genre, giving our point of view. A huge part of whatmakes a Temple of Void record is the non-death-doom influences that make up our DNA. And on album five we never once asked ourselves, ‘Do we have enough death metal? Do we have enough doom metal?’ We simply wrote a heavy-ass record—let the chips fall where they may.”For lyrics, Erdody built on the psychology and fear themes of Summoning the Slayer. The overarching theme of The Crawl is, put rather simply, an “allegory about life, choices, and consequences.” It’s a qualitative view on the horrors of the human condition and the contemplation of our monstrous capabilities. “The Twin Stranger,” for example, is about being stalked by a person’s doppelganger; “Godless Cynic” draws on a short story by sci-fi author Harlan Ellison; and “Poison Icon” tackles the crushing effects of mankind’s intrinsic nature to deceive and control.The Crawl was tracked in a single “colder-than-hell” week in January, etched into proverbial obsidian at Kurt Ballou’s GodCity Studio (Gatecreeper, High On Fire) in Salem, MA. Ballou was assisted by engineer Zach Weeks (Deafheaven, Fuming Mouth). Both studio mavens were enlisted by TEMPLE OF VOID because they wanted a “human”-sounding, spontaneous record. This is evident from the heavy-as-fuck, raw-edged guitar and bass tones, as well as Pearce’s in-the-room drum sound. Ace Brad Boatright, who’s handled everyone from Sleep to Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon (aka Stranger Things), was brought on to master at his Audiosiege Mastering Studio in Portland, OR.TEMPLE OF VOID are evolving, rolling their 20-sided die yet again. This time, it’s raw, in-your-face, dissonant, heavy, and absolutely human. Featuring the captivating “referential” cover art by Travis Smith (Opeth, Death), The Crawl burrows into bone, flays minds, and leaves metalheads wanting more. Venture into the deepest, darkest dungeons, fellow Templars!