Nothing can fuck with your mind like some spazzed-out, proggy metal. Your hands will cramp up from attempting all that air guitar, and air drumming? Forget it, you’ll be at a loss for what to do because it’s that damn confusing. “Pale Horses Ride” shows what this band is made of right away with dizzying riffs and dual guitar harmonies. A soft passage comes along for some brief relaxation, only for two breakdowns to lumber out backed up by loads of crazy drum fills. The breakdowns are by no means run-of-the-mill; this isn’t just some open E-chord pounding. “Through the Smoke Lies A Path” has a particularly jazzy passage that recalls Between the Buried and Me, a band that I would say shares the most in common with them.
“What We See When We Shut Our Eyes” locks into a groove that gets faster and faster, and guitar squeals coincide with the breakdown to add an extra punch. All of this mayhem gets broken up by a brief orchestra interlude “Triumph Over Tragedy”. Halfway through the album it gets a bit tiring, but before it falls into tedium, there’s always some twists and turns to keep hold of you. “Vengeance in Departure” is probably the best song here and gang vocals shine light on one element of the band that isn’t so astonishing: the vocals. The screaming is pretty standard, but it doesn’t necessarily detract from the band. This is easily more of a musician’s album than a vocalist’s. The song is topped off with a solo that flies by at break-neck speed, which will leave you picking up pieces of your own ass when it’s over.
