After five years of radio silence, the Brisbane technical deathcore quartet finally returns, albeit with an EP, A Voice From the Outer Dark. If these three new songs are anything to go by, we deathcore fans should breathe a gigantic sigh of relief that the boys from down under are definitely back!

The mixed review of 2020’s Hell Will Come For Us All felt like the death knell for the band. Many criticized that record for losing much of the band’s creative flair and “downgrading” it to yet another Thy Art Is Murder clone. I politely disagreed with that popular opinion and reviewed Hell Will Come For Us All more favorably. Check out my review for that record HERE.

A Voice From The Outer Dark feels like a call to old fans and new listeners alike that Aversions Crown was never truly down and out. The addition of vocalist Alex Teyen (of Black Tongue fame) made deathcore veterans stand up and take note of the new material. The first single and title track, “A Voice From The Outer Dark,” draws elements from their Xenocide and Tyrant eras, which most would agree was the height of Aversions Crown’s sound. Many complained that Hell Will Come For Us All lost that “aliencore” sound, theme, and imagery, but the new EP brings those elements back, both thematically and sonically.

The other tracks on the EP, “Deathbed Lamentations” and “Castigation Choir,” are also chock-full of elements from older Aversions Crown that fans will enjoy. “Deathbed Lamentations” goes for a more melodic-yet-sinister sound, whereas “Castigation Choir” opts for a more punchy, aggressive, and in-your-face sound, with plenty of chugs, blast-beats, and classic Aversions Crown-esque weedles, yet still contains those backing ambient “sci-fi” ambient melodies that made earlier Aversions Crown records special.

The drumwork on every Aversions Crown was always a point of praise, and longtime drummer Jayden Mason has been the foundation stone upon which the band has laid its grandiose brutality since Servitude. Guitarists Michael Jeffery and Chris Cougan went back to the drawing board to see what fans really enjoyed from previous records, while still making strategic pivots from the lessons learned after Hell Will Come…

The most notable element, and the aspect that fans will be talking about, is the inclusion of guttural juggernaut Alex Teyen. His vocal range has been lauded from his work with Black Tongue, and serves as a perfect heir to the groundwork laid by Mark Poida and Colin Jeffs. Previous vocalist, Tyler Miller, made the move to Thy Art is Murder and has found a more appropriate home there, so a win-win for everyone!

A Voice From The Outer Dark is a short, sweet, and brutal return to form for Aversions Crown. A great sign of things to come!