Reviewed by Paul S Ganney

Opening with riffs that reminded me of both Metallica and Nightwish, I was already set for a heavy metal feast. It's got rhythmic changes added to symphonic keyboard work and then prog-style synth solos. This is no "heads down here we go" stuff and as such is far more interesting to listen to. Yes, there are the 100mph guitar runs ("Flesh And Blood" especially) and a bit of solo noodling (but the riff trading between classic metal guitar and classic prog synth just kept hauling you back, especially in the title track). The vocal is a little rough but melodic rather than grunted and does sit well within the material, underpinned solidly by very accomplished drumming and bass work (stick your headphones on and listen to the bass drum work in "Human Equilibrium" for example). The gentler "Angel" (the single from the CD) sounded more Scandi-rock, bits making me think of Jerusalem with a 2018 sound, especially in the vocal phrasing and the closing track "Anti-Evolution" has a really good chord progression as the band demonstrate there's more than one way to get between two points - it also has a lot of sudden stops, which must be very effective live. Lyrically clear about their faith, this is a band to watch. There are only five tracks on the album, but range from 5:20 to 7:54 in length, adding up to a very enjoyable half hour. This is a limited-edition CD, so get one before they sell 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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