Filthy Music Review - 'Voyag3r: Doom Fortress'

Voyag3r – Doom Fortress (2014)

Battle Chamber Music/ Bellyache Records

Review by Jude Felton

We’re going to take a ride with Cabbie. Along the way we’ll be passing through a ruined and desolate New York City, a ravaged Florida, where only the undead walk and we might even make a stop at Tech Noir. Why? Because Detroit’s Voyag3r (pronounced Voyager 3) are back and they are once again tapping into the coolest sounds that came out of the 80s, and even the late 70s.

Last year I reviewed Victory in the Battle Chamber, which was the debut 7” from the Michigan trio, and it was quite fantastic. Musically speaking, they are an instrumental group with an obvious passion for the synthesized film scores of the aforementioned eras, and what wonderful music they make.

With Doom Fortress, they have delivered the album that I had hoped they would, back when I reviewed the single. From the metronomic opening track, which brought to mind Romero’s Day of the Dead, through to the screaming guitars of True Intentions, you can hear the love of their craft just flowing from the speakers. Hell, Doom Fortress is already the best movie never made in the 80s!

Now, this is obviously an album review, but I feel it’s just as important to reference the films, and scores, from which Voyag3r so clearly draw their influences. Maybe not necessarily the films I have mentioned, but definitely in that ballpark. Knowing these just adds further joy to the listening experience that you’ll get when you put on Doom Fortress. This is further enhanced by the wonderful artwork on the cover, which again pays homage to this wonderful era of film. Ultimately though, this is an album of passion, excitement and damned good tunes.

There are no real negatives to be mentioned, aside from the fact that it’s too short for me; I could listen to it for hours. In fact, for the past week or so I have just had it on repeat whilst I’ve been driving around. It’s a little over half an hour and contains 6 songs, but the most important part of the equation is that everything is of a very high quality.

Doom Fortress is available on CD, Vinyl and digital, so there’s no excuse not to pick this up. Also, fans in the UK might be interested to know that the quite wonderful Death Waltz is distributing the vinyl edition, over on that side of the Atlantic!

This is just a terrific album, from start to finish, and I cannot recommend it enough!

9/10

Tracklist:

1. Summoning the Forgotten One

2. One's True Intentions

3. Doom Fortress Escape

4. In the Hands of the Computers

5. Il Guanto Nero

6. Lord of Doom Fortress

Doom Fortress is available now from Battle Chamber Music and Bellyache Records.