Review: Great Wide Nothing – A Shout Into the Void

Style: Neo-Prog, Prog Punk (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: ELP, Ben Folds Five, Rush
Country: Georgia, United States
Release date: 2 May 2025

Philosophically speaking, “progressive rock” and “punk” are two genres of music almost diametrically opposed to each other. The former is characterized by compositional complexity, virtuosic musicianship, and highfalutin, fantastical lyrical themes. The latter by raw energy, with fast, short songs; urgent, often politically-charged lyrics; and performers who typically spend more time crowdsurfing than practicing their instruments. So when I picked up A Shout Into the Void, the latest album by Atlanta, Georgia’s Great Wide Nothing, I was intrigued by their self-applied “prog punk” label.

What does “prog punk” sound like?

It depends who you ask. Many consider Cardiacs to be the quintessential prog punk act—their 1996 album Sing to God seamlessly grafts the frantic energy of punk rock onto the baroque arrangements of classic prog. In the early-to-mid 2000s, The Mars Volta released a slew of extremely dense, instrumentally virtuosic albums, heavily inspired by hardcore and post-hardcore punk. They and their ilk in the progressive post-hardcore scene could also fall under a “prog punk” umbrella. Still others label post-punk bands like Talking Heads as prog punk: inspired by punk, but breaking the boundaries of the genre in myriad ways.

Great Wide Nothing would be more accurately labeled “neo-prog”—the prog-offshoot genre from the 1980s which chopped the song lengths down and opted for harder-hitting, more radio-friendly tunes, instead of the ten-to-twenty minute keyboard epics of a decade prior. Fans of 80s Rush, in particular, might appreciate parts of A Shout Into The Void. The synth-heavy, bass-forward tracks on this album share some DNA in common with albums like Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows.

The opening track, “Utopia”, gives a tantalising introduction to what Great Wide Nothing are capable of, particularly in the outro: gentle keys abruptly stop, making way for sticky synths, with weighty bass and pounding drums pushing through like electric mixer paddles into cake batter. The bass tone here is on point (and Geddy-reminiscent). The rhythm section cleanly breaks into a chorus of airy keys, repeated again and again, like a call to battle, cultivating a serious, driving energy. The same can be said of “One Thousand Eyes”, where locked-in drums, crisp bass, and competent synth work propel the song into a catchy walking riff that wouldn’t be out of place on a classic prog record by any of the greats. These songs have an infectious forward momentum, they’re mixed well, and the production reflects a meticulous attention to detail.

But lyrically, A Shout Into the Void is no Grace Under Pressure. It instead comes across as overly sincere—a bit too on-the-nose. On “Utopia”, the band eschew cynicism and yearn for a brighter future: “what the fuck is the point … If it’s not for the sake of the common defense against death and decay? … It’s only a question of willingness.” “The Parting of Ways” is a letter to a loved one who has, psychologically (politically?), moved so far away from the narrator that they feel there is no other option but to cut ties. “Shout Into the Void”, the album’s final track, cries, “I don’t think I’ll live to change the world, or maybe even make a difference”, singing for the sake of it, even if it’s all for naught. This earnest naïveté, combined with a cliché here or there, makes the whole album feel sophomoric.

That amateurish clumsiness comes across in the vocals, as well as the lyrics. Phrases are sometimes cut short when they could have been held a tick longer. Vowels are not as round as they should be. Overwhelmingly, though, the main issue is a lack of emphasis, of singing from the diaphragm. This makes the vocals feel weak; the vocalist, uncommitted. Entering with a “what the fuck is the point?” on the first track, I knew I would have reservations about this album—I’ve been in bands where the instrumentalists, the arrangement, and the production were all on point, but the vocals were lacking oomph. It can make listening to a record unenjoyable—cringey, even. In many ways, A Shout Into The Void reminds me of my younger self, in a band with a good amount of talent, but uncomfortably amateurish vocals. I know what it’s like to sit in a recording studio and listen to someone with little technique and even less confidence sing-shout into a microphone. And what it’s like to be that person. It’s not fun. The self-applied “prog punk” label feels like a preemptive defense against critics who would otherwise focus on those vocals. Punk does not demand classically-trained vocalists, sure, but Great Wide Nothing sound otherwise punk in very few ways (their songs are a bit fast and they say “fuck” a few times).

A Shout Into the Void is a disappointment. Instrumentally, it is competent if not impressive. Its tracks are packed full of catchy riffs and melodies. The production and mixing are entirely unblemished. It has such potential to be a fast, loud, modern prog rock record, but it’s held back by vocals which are frankly quite difficult to listen to. Great Wide Nothing, I beg you, don’t make the same mistake I did. Find a singer and rebrand, before it’s too late.

Recommended tracks: One Thousand Eyes
You may also like: Cardiacs, Paradigm Blue, Kick the Giant
Final verdict: 5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Independent

Great Wide Nothing is:
– Daniel Graham – bass, vocals, lyrics
– Dylan Porper – keyboards, vocals
– Jeff Matthews – drums, vocals