Temple of Void

Temple of Void formed in Detroit during 2012 as a death/doom metal unit. Guitarists Alex Awn and Eric Blanchard first connected through a shared Krav Maga class and prior local-scene familiarity; Awn already performed with Hellmouth, while Blanchard had contributed guitar to assorted black metal and grindcore projects. They enlisted vocalist Mike Errody, known as Mike Tuff from Acid Witch, alongside bassist Brent Satterly and drummer Jason Pearce of Feisty Cadavers. Rehearsals began that year, and within twelve months the group issued its three-song Demo MMXIII digitally in May 2013. The recording drew immediate online praise, prompting distribution agreements with four separate international labels and coverage in the metal press. The band’s first live performances took place in Detroit and Ohio.

Their debut full-length, Of Terror and the Supernatural, surfaced the next year on the Canadian independent label Rain Without End. Regional shows and opening slots on national tours passing through Metro Detroit followed, along with a performance at that year’s Berserker Fest, which expanded their audience. New York filmmaker William Saunders directed a video for “Savage Howl,” and the band recorded a cover of “Os Abysmi Vel Daath” for the Celtic Frost tribute compilation Morbid Tales!. Further festival appearances included Shadow Kingdom Fest and Hell’s Headbash in 2016, plus Blood of the Wolf Fest, Metal Threat, and Shadow Woods.

Shadow Kingdom Records issued the sophomore album Lords of Death in July 2017. Shortly before its release, Blanchard departed amicably; ex-Writhing guitarist Don Durr stepped in, enabling the group’s first tour with the new lineup. That summer they shared a Detroit festival bill with the Suicide Machines and a reunited Negative Approach, then appeared at Psycho Las Vegas alongside Danzig, Boris, and Voivod. November brought a Midwest run supporting fellow Detroiters the Black Dahlia Murder. After a brief pause they contributed “Harvest of Flesh” to the split-digital EP Delivering the Dead with Germany’s Revel in Flesh.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic halted touring throughout 2020, the band remained active. January saw the flexidisc single “Ravenous Eyes in the Distance” released via Decibel magazine. March brought three tracks to the various-artists collection 4 Doors to Death II alongside Fetid Zombie, Nucleus, and Ectoplasma. The same month Shadow Kingdom issued the full-length The World That Was, recorded the previous year at Mount Doom Studio and produced by Clyde Wilson. Initial listener reactions reflected surprise at the band’s shift toward groove-oriented and post-metal textures, clean choruses, and synthesizer passages, yet three months later prominent metal outlets on both sides of the Atlantic praised the record. With live activity still curtailed, Temple of Void continued writing and demoing material. A multi-album contract with Relapse Records was finalized in late 2021, and the seven-song Summoning the Slayer appeared in June 2022. Arthur Rizk handled production, mixing, and mastering; the set emphasized claustrophobic atmospheres, intricate melodies, layered textures, and occasional clean vocals.