Here a re-release of this Dutch band’s self released 2005 debut and will appeal to fans of Opeth, Amorphis, Novembers Doom, Rapture, Insomnium (The Finnish doom/death scene as a whole), that’s to say progressive, doomy death metal, and Another Messiah throw in frequent Oboe use to boot.

Though the Oboe could be construed as a gimmick to some relatively solid, if straightforward doom/death, it actually works well in giving this conceptual album some character; it’s not over used, nor is it just tantalizingly hinted at.

The aggressive start of opener “These Lonely Eyes” belies the bands soon to be apparent doom roots as second standout track “And Now I Will” really highlights the excellent Oboe use early on as well as crunchy guitars, some clean croons along with the competent deep and mid range growls of Robbie J. de Klerk. The more Opethian “My God, Its Him” is more developed and varied with more clean vocals and a more proggy feel, but shows a band willing to break from traditional growl and croon structures. “I Never Noticed” is even calmer with an almost balladic start before becoming a solid, somber rocker of sorts akin to newer Amorphis. “Sweet Dreams” is a rather short, needless interlude but it does give way to the album’s most antagonistic tracks, “She Softly Starts to Cry” and the lumbering start of “Dead Man Walking”.

The final two tracks, though solid, fail to really cement the album though, even with the heavy Oboe use in the initially menacing, but then rather tepid “Left To Die” and odd closing ballad/outro “Queen Bee”. However, there’s enough promise and quality here for fans of more challenging varied doom/death metal.

[Visit the band's website]

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