Review by Dominik on October 2, 2026.

I am pretty sure most reviewers did what I did first: look up what the heck "Boötes Void" actually means. It turns out to be one of the largest known near-empty regions in the observable universe, nicknamed the "Great Nothing". It lies in the direction of Boötes, a constellation whose name comes from ancient Greek. Not that it really matters, but summed up in wonderfully understated astronomical terminology: there is an enormous hole in the fabric of the cosmos, and we named it after the constellation that happens to be sitting behind it. Mind-boggling….

Understanding this made me suspicious that "Panta Rhei", which literally means "everything flows", houses a CD full of this strange subgenre called cosmic black metal. Yes, the kind where the songs feel like they are stretching into eternity, and beneath the cosmic tremolos you hear strange noises that sound like the Enterprise's warp drive has failed, all the while the vocalist does his best Mr. Spock interpretation, swearing in Vulcan. I was massively relieved to find out that German Boötes Void remain firmly rooted on planet Earth. The band plays a captivating kind of melodic black metal and, three full albums in, deliver a fantastic album.

If I had to summarize why this is a must-listen, I would point towards the band's masterclass in balancing dynamics. On the one hand, we have the melodic foundation, driven by relentless guitars, while the vocalist provides the counterbalance, mainly delivering his performance in a dark growl that always stops just short of becoming death metal. The fact that Boötes Void also know exactly when to introduce slower passages and faster, blasting sections underlines how confidently they have settled into their own sound by now. Of course, they are clever enough to break the mold whenever a song threatens to turn into an exercise in monotony. Shorter, more desperate vocal passages or the occasional acoustic break do the trick. If there is one weaker spot on the album, I would point towards the closer. It is a four-minute acoustic/ambient outro which may evoke the feeling of being lost somewhere in space, but after the melodic sonic mayhem preceding it, it inevitably pales in comparison. Apparently, even the Great Nothing needs a soundtrack for drifting off.

I love albums that contain absolute highlights I find myself returning to regularly. "Shapers Of The End" belongs to that species. It is a masterclass in composition, be it the infectious melodic riffs or the drummer who appears determined to throw every trick he has into the song. It starts slowly with developing its central motif, which then resurfaces as the track progresses. The vocalist sounds even more imploring, especially when the underlying melodies start getting stuck in your brain. Just check around the two-minute mark. The drummer adds another interesting twist by sometimes staggering the blasts, increasing the unpredictability while giving the track even more character. The lyrics are bleak to the point of being depressing, depicting our world as it sometimes feels today. We are, after all, the "Shapers Of The End". Well, at least somebody is finally admitting it.

Generally, the beginning and the end of the album convince me most, although there is absolutely no weak track here. Besides my personal standout, "Nebula" and the title track deserve special mention, too. The former wastes absolutely no time accelerating from zero to 100. The band's formula remains intact: whirring melodic riffs drive the song, which is counterbalanced by the vocalist's dark pitch and mid-tempo grooves that serve as brief breathing spaces before the blasting takes over again. During the slower parts, we finally get a whiff of the bass guitar. What is striking throughout the album is how the band manages to create a strong atmosphere without relying on keyboards. Two thirds into the song, a short, whispered contemplation of something that probably has deep philosophical meaning, although I have no idea what the hell it means, slows down your pulse before the song regains intensity and races towards the finish line. I am sure there is some profound cosmic wisdom hidden in there. Obviously, I just didn't receive the memo.

The title track does exactly what its name implies, as it flows seamlessly within the established blueprint. The appearance of Lukas Gosch, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist of Ellende, adds another dimension to the vocal range and elevates the song even further. When the guitars start weaving their captivating melodies, I hear some resemblance to the Swiss Aara, which is certainly not the worst band to be compared with.

"Panta Rhei" is a self-confident album that should satisfy anyone who likes their black metal stylish and melodic, yet never cheesy. If I had one wish for album number four, it would be a shorter outro. This one kind of meanders into space. However, considering the album title, I suppose we should simply accept that everything flows, even when it flows straight into the Great Nothing.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10, because when you name yourself after one of the biggest empty spaces in the universe, you better make sure your music fills it. And Boötes Void certainly does.