Reviewed by Christian Cunningham

London, Ontario-based Sympathy's wonderfully blackened death metal sound returns to grace our ears once more and to garner further critical acclaim. With elements of bands such as Arch Enemy, Emperor and Dimmu Borgir, Sympathy create an utterly brutal aural soundscape. The sleeve artwork gives us a good idea of what is to come in its brooding, dark, distinctly gothic images. Immensely technical in all respects, the musicianship here is of the highest calibre. Discordant lead guitar work manages to simultaneously mingle and clash with the rest of the band; on tracks such as "On A Bloodied Cross" the dual guitar break attacks like a two headed viper, stinging its way into your ears. However, as the track takes a different direction and the majestic, symphonic tendencies of the band emerge in the choir and keys accompanied final section, the listener can appreciate they are in the presence of excellence. And this is much the way of the album; every track has a standout breeze block-sized riff, glorious lead break or an eerily atmospheric Dimmu Borgir-esque section, all of which contributes to a memorable album indeed.

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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