By: Anders

Posted: Dec 8, 2005

This is more or less a new allstar project, when a band consists of Christofer Malmström and Peter Wildoer from Darkane, Gustaf Hielm from Meshuggah and Ryan Van Poederooyen from Devin Townsend Band, something good are bound to be laid down on tape. Musician-wise everything should at least be top notch.

The compositions are quote technical and complex, laid upon a bottom of thrashy death metal, are classical guitar pieces being introduced, killer guitar solos flying through the air, not leaving many violin-pieces behind, the aura of the old classical idolatries are present. The good driving death metal riffs are working well, and build up the body of the tracks well, even though the many breaks often ruins the momentum, and leaves the listener struggling behind to catch all the details, while still trying to keep up to speed. The compositions are perhaps a bit too complex and technical for their own good, and lack some really good hooks, like the good melodic and fast riffing in 'Personal Hell', which allows the listener to identify the single tracks.

Musically as already written in the first paragraph, the performances are flawless. The guitar work is blistering, Malmström makes the six strings sing and dance, he is really showing all of his talent on here. The bass work is splendid as well, huge and powerful rumblings at times, and at others good jazzy play, very captivating. The drumming is insane and technical, and at times straight forward and punishing. The vocals from Wildoer are the more or less typical growled scream, which actually fits into this context very well.

This is for sure not an album for everybody, it is way too technical and hard to get into for being that. Though if you enjoys technical metal based on death metal, with a good jazzy touch and killer guitar solos inspired by classical composers, this is an album you will hold in high regard. In time this album will receive a cult classical status like the works of Atheist, Cynic and the likes, albums that really wasn’t understood at the point they were released, but first a decade or so later. A tough fate, but I guess that’s what such metal as this has to go through to mature and show its real potential.

Rating: 8/10

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