The Third Eye

It wasn’t all that long ago that REZN dropped their newest album on us, with Solace coming out in March of 2023. Now, they have teamed up with the instrumental sci-fi practitioners of Vinnum Sabbathi to bring us more new jams; this music was released on August 11th, 2023, via Blues Funeral Records and is called Silent Future.

About Silent Future

This album is a true collaborative exploration between two incredible bands, with the description on the Bandcamp page saying that with … 

“On Silent Future, Chicago atmospheric psych-doom outfit REZN teams up with Mexico City cosmic conceptualists Vinnum Sabbathi for a true union of heavy exploration. Allowing themselves a fluid, open canvas to experiment, members of both bands contribute equally to create an album of lush, hypnotic, and frequently megalithic ambiance, yielding an utterly cohesive trip into the riff-drenched astral reaches.”

REZN’s Rob McWilliams (guitars and vocals) handled the writing of the lyrics, while Vinnum Sabbathi wrote the script. I was surprised to find out how long ago this was laid down, with REZN’s tracks being recorded at their space in Chicago from October to November 2021, and the Vinnum Sabbathi tracks were recorded by KB at Testa Estudio in León, Mexico, January 8-9, 2022.

The Songs

1. Born Into Catatonia (02:07)

This is just a short intro that includes spacey, sci-fi sounds with a spoken word vocal on top of it. It’s about two minutes long and segues smoothly into “Unknown Ancestor.”

2. Unknown Ancestor (06:03)

Here, we have the first actual song, a beautiful piece of music. I love the chilled atmosphere and the massive sound of the heavy riffs. Then we have the vocals, which REZN’s Rob McWilliams performed, and they are exactly what you’d expect from him: clean, smooth, and flawless in their overall sound and execution.

3. The Cultigen (03:17)

Talk about the perfect track to follow, “Unknown Ancestor”! The sci-fi is strong with this one, as the music comes across as ppacey and progressive while also being atmospheric and ethereal. Certain elements may bring to mind the more subdued sounds of Linkin Park, an influence that I was more than a little surprised to hear. Overall, “The Cultigen” is an outstanding song with equally exceptional vocal work, making it one of, if not the best tracks on Silent Future.

4. Hypersurreal (04:20)

Instead of beginning with a mellow vibe, “Hypersurreal” opts for a  heavy intro that then transitions into the calm, a staple of this record. As with every track, Rob supplies outstanding vocals; there’s something in the way he sings that is powerful yet laid back, perfectly matching the music while pulling the listener into his trance-like performance. This is the track that exudes the feel of what both bands do on their own, showing that these types of collaboration can raise the musical bar.

5. Clusters (02:10)

Another brief interlude that’s similar to “Born Into Catatonia.”

6. Morphing (06:55)

The intro to “Morphing” has alt-rock vibes and a sound that could satisfy fans of bands similar to King Buffalo. I love the main guitar part; it’s full of movement yet never busy and is an excellent counterpoint to the verse parts. The tone of those guitars is “wet,” but when the distorted parts enter, that drops away, and the sound hits you like a ten-ton hammer thanks to the chilled sounds we’ve had beforehand. The last section of this song ups the ante by raising the intensity, and while this doesn’t sound like Tool, it does have the feel of some of their earlier music. 

7. Obliterating Mists (06:40)

This final song brings listeners something different than what has been heard thus far. The heavy parts are even heavier, and the more relaxed sections also have taken on a larger sound. This is a welcome change, and it helps to make the album all the better. 

Final Thoughts

The seven tracks on this album are incredibly well put together. What captivated me was that these songs were created with a great distance between the bands yet had the cohesive sound of guys who wrote the music while in a room together. That cohesion is hard for some bands to accomplish on their own, so to hear two bands doing it this well together is inspiring.

I urge all of you to give this album your time, if not your musical dollars, as it deserves as wide an audience as possible. You can find it on Bandcamp, YouTube’s Rob Hammer channel, and at any of your normal streaming services. Enjoy!

Purchase Silent Future by REZN and Vinnum Sabbathi here.

Support REZN by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Facebook, Instagram).

Support Vinnum Sabbathi by finding them on Bandcamp or social media (Instagram, Facebook).

This review was written by Tom Hanno, who has been writing reviews for the last 7 years but has been sharing his love of music for the majority of his life. Originally starting out at the now-defunct Chimera Magazine, he is currently contributing to Doomed and Stoned, The Sleeping Shaman, The Doom Charts, Tom’s Reviews, and The Third Eye. Read more of Tom’s reviews by checking out his Linktree.

Parting words: “It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God but to create him.” – Arthur C. Clarke

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