Review by Adam M on October 11, 2017.

Anciients have a progressive styling that is certainly pleasant to the ear. They have a rollicking atmospheric vibe that is wonderful to behold. The band borrows a lot from the altar of Mastodon and it shows through on this release. The outfit has that dirty vibe that makes Mastodon’s sound so potent. The music of Mastodon isn’t stoner, but this music certainly has that grimy feeling that stoner conveys so effectively. The music is certainly groovy in a manner similar to Mastodon too.

Still, the band brings in elements from other bands such as Opeth to make for a more varied platter. The influence of Opeth can be seen in the dynamics of the band. There is a variety of shades to the music that makes it more interesting than a straight Mastodon rip-off would portray. The music on the song Buried in Sand can be seen to go through a certain amount of shifts and changes making it more compelling than a Mastodon rip-off would suggest. Furthermore, the vocalist has a distinctive tone that is somewhat original and fits the tracks perfectly. His voice is certainly one that takes a bit of time getting accustomed to, but his darker tone makes for an effective counterpoint to the tracks.

There is still the issue that Voice of the Void is more of the same and doesn’t build greatly on what was offered by Heart of Oak. This is certainly the case here as the music doesn’t do enough overtly original this time around. It was a more fun sound the first time around, but there is still a great deal to enjoy here. People that are fans of the band’s last effort and Mastodon should jump aboard, just don’t go expecting something as fresh as the debut album. This is still solid stuff.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10