Weigh of Emptiness – Withered Paradogma

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From Bandcamp, “The Chilean band WEIGHT OF EMPTINESS releases its third full-length album called “Withered Paradogma,” which reflects life and death as part of the cycles of the human being. Death is just one more step, a new beginning, the awakening to a new age, where the old ways are withered. The album was composed in the lonely and full of uncertainty times of the global pandemic, and comes to propose a new direction, which will seek to illuminate the deepest darkness of the soul.” The album has eleven songs.

“Mütrümtum (The Calling)” is the first. It’s a short intro song, leading to “Defrosting.” The heavy chug of the music is groovy and dark. Harsh vocals blot out the sun, while the cleans open things back up again. The background is filled with a deadly ambiance as well. “0440” has a similar groovy chug, and the harsh vocals are guttural. Again, the guitars and other backing elements help to fill in any cracks. They remind me of SCAR SYMMETRY in a few ways. The might and power they get out of the music is deep, indeed. “Wolves” has a little more of a catchy melody, mostly from the clean vocals. I am really liking what I am hearing so far. Take a listen to that chorus. It makes you want to raise a sword high in the air and charge your enemy.

“Vital Ends” features a dissonant and weighted sound from the rhythms and chugging, speeding drums. This song has a melody line but favors a more punishing sound, that is until the beautiful string section at the end. “Beyond the Marinas” begins with clean, mellow tones, and when it segues into distorted ones, the doleful melody remains. Both harsh and clean vocals reflect the uncertainty of times. “Black State Council” is another stark and desolate affair, with power from the harsh vocals, and despondence from the cleans. The clean vocals are very matter-of-fact, and almost haunting. “Oblivion Collector” begins with melancholy, clean, and harmonized vocals. You can feel the emotions from the vocals. The harsh vocals are a stark contrast, and I like how they have mixed the two on the album.

“Solstice Haze” is a real banger of energy fueled fire and harsh vocals. Even the clean vocals leave a trail of smoke behind them. “The Awakening” closes the album, and it’s the longest. It has a very hearty and thick sound, but it not without melody again. The harsh vocals create a hole in the ground so deep, you can’t see the end. It builds to a crescendo, as the subject finally awakes to the reality of the world, and ends with a beautiful clean guitar sequence. Overall, this was an excellent release. In the vein of Death Metal, many of the songs were as hard as diamonds, and as aggressive as a serpent going after prey. But, the band also did an amazing job of working in melodies to the music, and the sound varied from track to track, so you never knew what was coming next.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 7
Production: 9