In a genre so saturated and over crowded as tech metal, it’s a mammoth task for any fledgling band to make a mark and stand out from the masses. Hailing from Lisbon, Portugal, The Voynich Code have youth on their side as they release their debut release after only a year in existence, and at least show signs of wanting to make their mark on Ignotum (Self Released).
Opener ‘Antithesis’ builds some suspension as it gradually forms with the help of Eastern instrumentation, hinting that this may be a unique prospect at hand, before it erupts into a ferocious but sadly generic take on technical death metal. Those Eastern sounds are present throughout but tend to get buried in the mix, highlighting their technical proficiency but their lack of real imaginative style. Herein lies the problem as they certainly show they are capable and talented but aside from these foreign influences there is little that has not been done countless times before; even vocally this is very one dimensional.
Put their lack of originality aside however and this unquestionably stands up well to many of its ilk, full of aggression and energy especially for such a young band. Far from a misstep for a band just starting out, Ignotum is a strong release, sadly suffering from the sense that they could have done a lot more to become a more recognizable presence.
6.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL