If you haven’t guessed these guys are very much in the doom/death vein pioneered by bands like Autopsy and Asphyx. Their influences are very obvious, but on occasion they do have some pretty good ideas to add to the well-trodden path that Autopsy/Asphyx are known for. At times they add some nice details to the guitar work in their songs. Not everything is power chord riffs and they make some good use of clean guitar parts. Although there are still plenty of power chord riffs around the use of melodic guitar lines, it is generally well placed and adds some interest to their sound. Vocals are all fairly low death metal style growls, and it works very well with their songs. The riffs are often catchy and for a death metal band their songs are pretty memorable. If there is any fault in this release it is that they are still in the shadow of Autopsy and Asphyx., however they do it really well and could become a real contender in the scene. The 5th track is an acoustic interlude and is reminiscent of 70’s prog at times, to my ears, with chord changes that wouldn’t be out of place on a Camel or Jethro Tull album. Kinda reminds me of Opeth in their more subdued moments. The production for this album is pretty good as well; a nice big sound with all the instruments easily heard. The vocals sit nicely in the mix and can be heard clearly, but don’t overpower the rest of the band. The drums sound nice, powerful and organic, and don’t have the annoying tendency I’ve spotted on some modern recordings of overpowering the rest of the music.
The band are tight and the groove really well on the doomier sections, and don’t sound mechanical. This album is coming out on cd and vinyl; I intend to buy the vinyl and track down a copy of the demo, which I believe is still available. I would love to see these guys become more extreme on future releases, but they know how to make good songs and great riffs. I really would recommend checking these guys out if you enjoy Autopsy and Asphyx. If they can find a way to stand out a bit more, this band should produce some great metal.