Australia is not the first country to pop into your mind when you think about post-metal superpowers. Maybe that’s why the few bands advocating for that particular sound in that neck of the woods, such as MENISCUS, are something out of the ordinary. The funny thing is, the post-rock scene over there is extremely vibrant, but for some reason, these post-prefixed bands typically opt for a tad less metal-tinged aesthetic. At least, that’s how it seems from this side of the Pacific. Now, my random Internet scrolling scored me yet another exciting post-metal find from Down Under. VOIDBURN is quite an interesting atmospheric sludge/post-metal duo hailing from Melbourne. Alas, it is yet another independent post-rock affiliate that you cannot find much information about apart from the facts that the outfit is comprised of two musicians and they released their eponymous debut EP last year. I reckon it was an EP since it only had five tracks, like their most recent release, entitled “II,” which came out just now, on January 30th, 2026. As if by virtue of some agreed-upon quirk that these Australian post-metal acts have in common, the music traverses the less beaten post-metal path, bordering on poignant, ambient soundscapes. While not plunging just as deep into full-on ambient and cinematic depths as their fellow countrymen ADNATE, this Melbourne duo does have a knack for inducing vivid mental images via their widescreen post-metal sound.
The new 5-track offering kicks off with “Renew,” recalling some of the most haunting achievements by ISIS from yesteryear. I reckon the impression is largely due to the snappy drumwork by Rico. Typically, post-metal rhythms tend to lean more toward the tribal metal sound à la CULT OF LUNA, whereas the beats in this opener draw from the NU METAL aesthetic, which, in turn, got that bouncy vibe from hip-hop. (On a peculiar side note, when ISIS played in Finland back in the day, the support act was the American experimental hip-hop outfit, DÄLEK…) There are some tribal vibes, as well, especially in the haunting closer, but mostly the songs steer clear of that particular rhythm framework. That said, there are two more aspects in the duo’s music that make these songs stand out from the average post-metal gene pool: first, the songs are exclusively instrumental, which lends them that cinematic flavor, and second, each song is a relatively short affair. I mean, 6 minutes is not that much for a post-metal banger, but this duo makes each minute count.
The guitar department adheres more strictly to tenets of the post-metal church – y’know, atmospheric drones, post-rock crescendos, lots of tape delay and reverb, and sonic wizardry of all sorts paying homage to the elder gods of the genre, all of which factor greatly in the sense of being submerged in an ocean of distortion, or floating in zero gravity. So, there is not really that much news from the Western Front, but VOIDBURN strikes a beautiful balance between the ambient sections and the punchy riffages. Of course, for the seasoned post-metal aficionado, the songs could be way longer, too, but in that case, they would probably need the vocals, or at least some more melodic content. There is also a subtle Middle-Eastern feel to almost every song, so I’m guessing the duo has a soft spot for all sorts of Phrygian derivatives, which happen to be my favorite modes, as well. I wouldn’t mind if the band decided to go fully mental with that – y’know, by dropping even more of those snake-charming guitar legatos and stuff! However, in their current state, the songs work just fine as somewhat shortish, atmospheric mood pieces. I reckon the new EP did exactly what it was supposed to do – it made me wish to check out the duo’s debut release from last year, as well. Since the band is pretty likely to be unheard of outside Australia, there are no videos yet on YouTube, and I reckon the only places you can listen to their music are Spotify and Bandcamp. On the upside, now’s your chance to start following a band before it hits the jackpot – because, let me be clear, this band ought to do it sooner or later if they keep on doing what they do.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Renew
- Under A Static Skyline
- Sirens
- Pressure Vessel
- Cognitive Dissonance
Lineup
Matt – guitars
Rico – bass, synth, drums
Label
Independent
