Review by Felix on April 29, 2019.

At the end of the eponymous debut of Disciples of the Void, the unforgotten, almighty Quorthon (R.I.P.) raises from the ashes. The epic cover version is a little bit confusing, because the self-composed material does not really match the Viking era of the Swedish idol. However, let's start in a more logical way and let me introduce this duo from Finland. Like many other formations, projects and lone wolfs, the guys want to go back in time. Death to false (black) metal - let's regain its true essence. 

The dramatic intro sets the stage and gives us the opportunity to feed the lions with some Christians, but sorry, don't count on me. I fail due to a lack of criminal energy. However, regardless of my lethargy, the first regular track makes clear that Disciples of the Void do not love experiments. Their fast-paced opener reveals influences of those veterans who combined a very harsh foundation with atmospheric (keyboard) sounds. I am not speaking of Dimmu Borgir, but heroes like Troll or early Emperor come back to life. You have read correctly: early Emperor! So now you should know that we are having a really great debut here. Hymnal lines, triumphant sounds, insane screams and mysterious spoken parts are overshadowed by an omnipresent darkness. "Dominion", the opener, sets the course and further tracks follow in an impressive manner, for example the furious "Per Aspera Ad Noctem". 

In addition to the aforementioned bands, I have to drop names like Limbonic Art or even Forteresse. These pretty different bands have one thing in common with the here presented band, because they also connect mind-blowing, rapid guitars with overflowing keyboard sounds. Disciples of the Void manage cleverly to integrate the more or less harmonic elements without losing the smallest grain of harshness. Only the calm break in "Heirs of the Wormwood" does not convince and lowers the impact of the actually extremely vicious number. But debutants have the right to fail from time to time and yes, all that glitters are not gold. Instead of presenting the Bathory adaption no. 2.966, they would had been well advised to offer one or two further own pieces.

Having that said, the net playtime of roughly 28 minutes indicates a slight lack of substance and that's a pity, because the songs themselves speak a completely different language. Disciples of the Void show in a quite impressive manner that they are able to create an adequate storm of blackness and their music profits from an equally adequate production which lacks neither density nor atmosphere. No doubt, the obviously eternally fertile Finnish underground has spat out its next ominous creature which deserves our attention. I am pretty sure that even Quorthon in Valhalla lends them an ear.

Rating: 8 out of 10