Always very nice when you get an actual physical item through. You get a proper look at the art and in this case a slightly pink/purple on black Lovecraftian monstrosity. Sponsored by the Lottery no less. I always knew there was something blasphemous about me never winning…

Ahem.

Debut album for this Scottish black/death lot who delve into existentialism and the cosmic evil. And Anti-Fascism. An excellent and curious combination but without lyrics I have no idea how that plays in the concept.

So, stick to the music review eh Gizmo?

‘A Cruel Dream’ is a dark melodic, synth wrapped intro that draws in the shadows before the choppy riffing of ‘A Worse Reality’ wakes us. This then descends into a rush of nicely dense blackened death. Time signatures shift, the layering of melody adds some colour and a fair bit of tech, the vocals are ok; serviceable if a little one dimensional. ‘The Flood’ is a nice speedy number too, and at the slower passages I note the vocals are indeed growing on me. It is also more than a little proggy it appears; calm looping little guitars and trippy drum beats before the darkness swallows it. A little of the early Opeth style maybe, that crescendo of clambering guitar work…

‘It Taketh’ then surprisingly turns into an earworm with its insistent instructions on bodily mutilation…! This one flips over; driving juddering death, bass led quiet passages, progressive meandering…  But its only when that instruction returns that it bites.

‘Lake Of The Undying’ is a lovely atmospheric, and rather sinister instrumental but the title track just slams a cleaver down between them. Sudden. Probably the track that has more of a black metal feel than anything else, though still with the techy/proggy intersections. However for me this one manages to move between these states far more successfully than previous tracks – it blends and flows better and as a result the atmosphere closes in better. ‘Light The Last Sun’ pretty much takes that black metal heavy feel and runs with it; the smoother riffing, the denser sound and some excellent cranking up of the atmosphere. And closer ‘Break The Will Of Evil’ though more choppy in riff has less jarring techy flashes and the eerie, quiet midsection works so well.

Hmm. There is definitely a lot to like here indeed. Ideas abound and musical dexterity seems high. As a debut its extremely promising. For me at the moment though often the movement between aggression to atmosphere is often too sudden, particularly on the opening songs. You end up being pulled roughly into a moment that should be quiet and then out again to some choppy almost (but not really, honest) djent jagged sounds. I don’t think the production helps though; I think particularly the last four songs would benefit from a richer sound as the synth moments are excellent in concept.

Nothing wrong fundamentally at all, nothing lacking in the vision and I’m certain that already their execution is improving as they strike me as that kind of band. Keep an eye on them.

(6.5/10 Gizmo)

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