Intronaut

Closely following the release of their debut EP, Intronaut have chosen to perfect and thicken their already distinctive sound, while not progressing in any truly noteworthy fashion. Combining the caustic strains of metallic hardcore in the vein of Coalesce and Botch with the spacious atmospherics of Isis, Intronaut steer well clear of genre clichés and opt for a diligently un-commercial and comparatively unique approach. Free from the trappings of breakdowns, two-step, clean vocals or radio singles, one should not use the term metalcore in the commonly interpreted sense — although sludge or post-rock doesn’t necessarily apply either. Intronaut’s strengths and weaknesses both lie in their ambiguous and far-ranging sound — while suitably technical and well executed, the band rarely reach peaks of sheer heaviness or truly memorable melody. The result is material that may not stick once the album draws to a close, but nonetheless will likely be spun time and time again. Those expecting any kind of huge leap from the debut will likely view the hype surrounding Void as somewhat anticlimactic, but with the short waiting period between the two efforts taken into account, Intronaut’s finest hour is no doubt yet to come. Consider this the groundwork for a potentially staggering career.