There are lots of moderately fast to moderately slow riffs with the band taking a few melodic death queues here and there (similar to October Tide) and topping them with a very prominent lead guitar. Downtrodden yet energetic the music is always moving and while the riffs aren't crushingly heavy as their peers they get the point across. The lead is flattered by the rhythm as both go from clean to distorted at any given time, rarely playing the same thing in tandem. Lots of subtle poly-rhythmic nuances are littered throughout the album. The drums have a strange urgency to them. The bass is more laid back and doesn't follow the guitars too much. The vocals are a bit off putting in a few ways, specifically they sound like they'd be better in a melodeath band than a doom/death band. The lyrics fit the music only too well as story's of loss and betrayal help to accentuate the modern misery of this music.
Despite the Katatonia reference this music is very inspired and original. The guitar work is outstanding and quite tasteful as both guitars are basically doing different things constantly in every song; taking the lead/rhythm paradigm to a new level. The leads and solos are both beautiful and sad but never repetitious or masturbatory. The bass and drums both play their parts well and with more purpose then their influences would have you believe.
The production is raw but it works with the music. This album isn't a landmark by any means but it was the first stone in the foundation of how the band sounds, perhaps more ambitious than what's come since or perhaps more naive; it's great either way. This gets an 8/10.
Words: Grimm Doom
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