Following a band from demo stage to making it big is especially gratifying in the realm of extreme metal, where "making it big" might not mean opening for Ed Sheeran, but can mean signing to Relapse Records. And Detroitian (Detroitean?) doomsters Temple of Void have been cranking out slow anthems of gloomy grandeur for just under a decade now, and doing it extremely well. They've already shown more signs of growth than some better-known bands who have been going for thrice as long, and continue to do so on this, their fourth full-length. Clearly very influenced by the doom/death of Asphyx but pointing it in a very different direction, Temple of Void create doom-death that worships the riff as proven immediately with stomping opener Behind the Eye, all infectious guitar churnings before switching around the halfway mark to something a little more melodic and grandiose, embracing ginormous solos and widdly Slayer-esque drama to bring things to a compelling close.

And from then on, their usual mixture of influences comes through well, starting with the crawling Deathtouch which dips its toes into funeral doom territory without losing that essential riff-worship that the band thrive upon and which makes their music so entertaining. Engulfed's despairing yells alongside the growls are matched with almost droning riffs, switching later to more of a grandiose, almost Metallica-esque feel, while A Sequence of Rot has a Paradise Lostian vibe easily the equal of any of the British legends' more recent outings. The almost d-beat aggression of Hex, Curse, & Conjuration is a welcome buffer before The Transcending Horror takes a more melodic, swirling approach that feels like Alice in Chains' brand of metallic grunge at points. That would be enough of a risk for a doom band to take before closing piece Dissolution drops the growls and metal elements entirely for a gentle piece of 70s prog rock complete with vocal effects akin to Planet Caravan and flute solos! It's borderline shocking on the first listen, yet when you listen subsequent times oddly fits the album's atmosphere, not least thanks to the subtle ambience between tracks. Perhaps it's not Temple of Void's best album overall, but their continuing willingness to experiment and push their sound onwards continues to bear fruit, and not only is this a beyond solid fourth full-length, it's a compelling debut for them with Relapse.