It’s like a void itself

Their tagline of “hail Conan” exists for a reason. Over the course of the last 12 years, Liverpool’s Conan has supplied a great mix of self-proclaimed “caveman battle doom” through full-lengths, EPs, splits and live albums. With their fourth full-length (and third on Napalm Records) Existential Void Guardian, Conan seems to up the ante with their vehement tones, barreling through almost an hour’s worth of premium sonic content.

“Prosper on the Path” kicks everything off with a slow-burning roll of a booming refrain that progresses in vocal and instrumental power. In particular, Conan quickly introduces a highlighted element of the record—dual vocal barrages. Guitarist Jon Davis and bassist Chris Fielding share vocal duties, bringing in your face gruff bays balanced by slightly softer and melodic timbres. The same components carry into the following track “Eye to Eye to Eye” though reversed, where the song starts forcibly and paced, before settling into a steady tempo.

Where Existential Void Guardian really hits home is with its pair of closing studio tracks. “Vexxagon” is epic in its riffage, pounding blast beats give off a rough and tough in the pit mood. On “Eternal Silent Legend,” all of the record’s brutal qualities are condensed into one, ending on a stomp beat that’s just too barbaric to ignore.

Though “Eternal Silent Legend” is a fitting closing track, an extended version of the record includes four live tracks as a bonus. Conan has a way of maintaining the high quality of their studio recording style on stage, making it almost difficult to realize the album had transitioned to live tracks. Of the four, “Total Conquest,” “Satsumo,” “Foehammer” and “Hawk as Weapon,” “Satsumo” and “Hawk as Weapon” are the most unwavering, their combination of fierce guitar riffs and beats being the most memorable.

Yet again, Conan has shown their propensity for their craft with this record. It’s a good fit into Conan’s existent discography, getting better and better the more you play it.