VANESSA FUNKE
Void

I find that, in most instances, metal music can instantly transport the listener of an album to different worlds based on what subgenre you prefer. If you love horror movies and the fear of a masked stalker chasing you and disemboweling your guts, check out death metal. If you want to contemplate the futile nature of existence and ponder on the impending inevitability of a bitter end to a meaningless presence, doom metal should be your jam. And if you love a dark fantastical sonic landscape that feels directly out of your favorite vampire romance novel that you tirelessly hid from your friends, goth metal will be the vessel of your dreams.

VANESSA FUNKE’s music falls into the latter category and hits those emotional and musical chords perfectly. An ethereal masterpiece, her third full-length album “Void” transported me from a humid Appalachian summer to a damp and dark gothic fantasy.

THE ARTIST

Active since 2017, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Vanessa Funke has walked the line between maestro and musician for three studio albums and multiple EPs, demos, and split records with collaborative artists. With her virtuosity on full display, her uniquely German take on gothic metal has the power to evoke emotions from all across the spectrum.

THE ALBUM

“Void” begins with three hard-hitting and passionate tracks, “The First Word”, “Broken Ground”, and “Loneliness”. Each beat of this opening trio of songs manipulate the listener’s heartstrings by taking us on a roller coaster of ups and downs. The melodic aspects of these songs never take center stage and Funke’s wall-of-sound hits us like a ton of bricks (or feathers depending on the track).

Something that is rarely discussed in many metal circles is the importance of album artwork. I am unaware of the artist of the cover, and I would love to give them the credit they deserve. What looks like a rural home in the countryside is being approached by two hooded figures and it seemingly is being enveloped in an otherworldly fog. The artwork itself perfectly encapsulates the feelings the listener will have during their journey through this album: uncertainty, intrigue, and a sense of fear that draws us closer to the story she tells.

My personal standout track on the album is the eight-minute masterpiece “Infelicity”. This masterpiece of energetic melodic death metal elements combined with Funke’s diaphanous and mysterious demeanor creates a cocktail of elegance and brutality. The album’s final statement “Closing The Book” (feat. Magnus Rinke of Storm Unleashed) masterfully builds from a shy introduction to a grandiose duet that places an amazing bookmark in the music until the next and much anticipated release.

THE VERDICT

VANESSA FUNKE’s output is impressive in and of itself, and “Void” continues to make her catalog even more intriguing and satisfying. It is out on Liminal Dread Productions on July 12th and this reviewer highly recommends that you do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

Matthew McCune