In 2017, the two man metal band Death Therapy released their debut album The Storm Before The Calm. The album displayed the vision of founder and vocalist Jason Wisdom: to “approach the unapproachable in both style and substance.”
With their sophomore release, Death Therapy has blended an explosion of sound that pushes boundaries the of heavy metal while telling compelling and spiritually moving stories of hope that are sure to encourage and challenge listeners from all walks of life.
Voices starts off softly and compellingly with “The Vice of Voices,” setting a dark and dissonant tone musically before building into an otherwise anthemic introduction. “My Defiance” is a rocker featuring Josh Kincheloe of Glasslands, displaying how the album melds impressive rhythmic guitars with steady beats on the percussion. The harmony on the chorus balances out the unclean vocals as the album theme of standing up to the darkness in the world begins to take shape:
“This is my defiance
I’ll stand face to face with the giants
And I won’t blink.”
The who’s who of guest vocalists continues on “Feels Like Fiction” as Silent Planet lead singer Garrett Russell collaborates on this passion-filled track. This driving tune is about overcoming doubt and unbelief in a time of pain and struggle, featuring an intensity filled post-hook that is sure to move a doubting soul into a place of resolve.
“I’m sick of waiting
Tired of falling asleep
With all of those fears and failures
Deep inside of me.”
“The Reckoning” leads with deep bass and catchy synthesizer vibes, adding still another unique element to the album’s progressive sound. Lyrically, this song continues to explore standing up for our beliefs and being a voice during this time of reckoning. “The Instability of Proto Man” is a fun instrumental break that is reminiscent of a horror film-esque soundtrack, with plenty of synth and organ-like sounds mixing in with the traditional rock instruments.
“It’s Okay” is a song about forgiveness– not only forgiving others, but finding strength to forgive oneself. The tune features Matt Baird of Spoken, who adds impressive melodious range on the chorus, rocking the high notes as only he is able to.
“Resist the Eclipse” is a continuation of the enigmatic and dissonant mood, but offers more of a ballad sound with smooth vocals on the verses. This tune is about being a voice for the hopeless and not allowing the eclipse to cast a shadow over those in need.
The last two tracks are a two part composition to close out this beautifully intense album. “Darkening Counsel Part I: Overture” is a symphonic masterpiece blending the sounds of a symphony hall orchestra into a lead-up to “Darkening Counsel Part II: Inquisition.” The orchestra is deafened as a spoken word starts off this ten minute thriller of a closer.
Musically, Voices carries a mysterious theme with a lot of intensity and energy provided through the experimentation with a variety of sounds. This is among the more creative heavy metal projects currently on the market, and Death Therapy pulls off this explosion of sound on Voices with expertise and attention to detail.
The dissonant musical style lends well to a charged theme of finding positive voices which shine a light in the midst of seemingly impenetrable darkness. Listeners will experience the full spectrum of emotions on this one but leave full of hope as Death Therapy reminds us that there is a divine light in the dark.
Find Voices on Apple Music and Spotify.
Related Artists: RED, Spoken, Solamors
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