TEMPLE OF VOID Announce New Album The Crawl, Streams Doomed New Single

Detroit death metal stalwarts Temple Of Void have officially announced their return with a brand-new full-length album, The Crawl, due out March 6, 2026 on Relapse Records. Alongside the announcement, the band has unveiled a music video for the album's title track, directed by The C.O.I.N. (Incantation, Gruesome), now streaming via Relapse's YouTube channel.

Marking the band's fifth studio album, The Crawl represents a significant evolution in Temple Of Void's sound. While the crushing weight and primal force of recent releases like Summoning the Slayer in 2022 remain intact, the band has consciously stepped away from rigid genre definitions.

"The biggest shift for me on this record was not feeling like we had to fly the 'death-doom banner' as part of our identity," explains guitarist Alex Awn. "On album five we never once asked ourselves, 'Do we have enough death metal? Do we have enough doom metal?' We simply wrote a heavy-ass record—let the chips fall where they may."

Now operating as a four-piece — Awn (guitar), Jason Pearce (drums), Mike Erdody (vocals/guitar), and Justin Malek (bass) — Temple Of Void broaden their sonic palette on The Crawl, weaving in elements of grunge and post-punk without sacrificing their hulking, death-drenched core.

Early singles "The Crawl" and "Soulburn" showcase the band's expanded dynamics, while tracks like opener "Poison Icon" and the monolithic "The Twin Stranger" underline the album's relentless power.

Lyrically, Erdody builds upon the psychological horror themes explored on Summoning the Slayer, framing The Crawl as an allegory about life, choices, and consequences. The record examines the darker corners of human nature, from deception and control ("Poison Icon") to existential dread inspired by sci-fi legend Harlan Ellison ("Godless Cynic"). "The Twin Stranger" delves into the terror of confronting one's own doppelganger, reinforcing the album's introspective and unsettling tone.

The Crawl was recorded during a single, "colder-than-hell" week in January at Kurt Ballou's GodCity Studio in Salem, MA, with Ballou (Gatecreeper, High On Fire) and engineer Zach Weeks (Deafheaven, Fuming Mouth) capturing a raw, spontaneous performance. Mastering duties were handled by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege in Portland, OR, preserving the album's human, in-the-room intensity — heard in its jagged guitar tones, punishing bass, and unfiltered drum sound.

The album features striking cover art by Travis Smith (Opeth, Death), whose evocative imagery mirrors the record's descent into psychological and existential darkness. Pre-orders are available here.