Reviewed by David Ashley

'Creator' is the head-turningly well made second album by this band from Fargo, North Dakota. Don't let the screaming fool you. You might momentarily think this is a headlong dive into unlistenable metal - but as it happens the opposite is true and this is a brilliant metal album. The album is musically mature, melodically well written and dazzlingly produced - as good quality as you will hear anywhere else even from big name, major label releases. In amongst the heavy fare there are plenty of calm oasis' - including the title-track and the apex of the hidden track "Revelation" - both disarmingly fragile and uplifting. There are also several occasions to make you jump out of your skin, something I discovered when I listened to this while trying to go to sleep. It's quite an achievement for a metal band to pack this amount of punch - the stabs are like a slap to the face and their huge sound is genuinely impressive. 'Creator' is an album well worth checking out.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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